Predictive factors for the response to lamivudine in HBV-infected patients with chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis.

Objective: To determine predictors for virological response to lamivudine, a retrospective-cohort study was designed.

Methods: Seventy HBV positive patients who received lamivudine were classified according to virological response into responders and non-responders. Background conditions and normalization and flare-up of hepatitis were compared using student-t test and chi-square test. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the effect of explanatory variables, age, sex, ALT, HBV-DNA, hepatic fibrosisi, presence of absence of HBeAg, former IF non-response on the response to lamivudine.

Results: There were no difference in gender, age, observed period, ALT level, liver fibrosis, former response to Interferon in background but viral titer and rate of HBeAg (+) was higher in non-responders. Hepatitis normalization rates were not different but flare-up rates were significantly higher in non-responders. Multivariate analysis showed HBeAg is the relevant factor for the response to lamivudine.

Conclusions: The presence of HBeAg was a risk for non-response to lamivudine therapy.