[Change of HBV DNA level as a predictor of HBeAg loss after lamivudine treatment].

Background And Aims: Lamivudine is an effective, safe therapeutic agent for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. The aim of this study was to investigate whether early suppression of the viral load predicts HBeAg loss within 1 year during lamivudine therapy.

Methods: This prospective study encompassed 74 patients (mean age: 37.