Objective: To observe viral dynamic change in patients with HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B by lamivudine treatment.
Methods: A multi-center clinical trial. Both outpatients and inpatients with HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B have been administrated lamivudine 100 mg/d for 24 weeks. To detect the hepatitis B virus (HBV) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) levels of the baseline, 12 hours, 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks, 24 weeks after lamivudine treatment by real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). To estimate the parameters of viral dynamics through regression analysis.
Results: 172 patients were enrolled, 145 male, 30.8 +/- 9.7 (16 - 65) years old. Significant decrease of HBV DNA level occurred 12 hours after administration, the average decrease was 0.45 lg(copies/ml), maximum was 3.86 lg(copies/ml), 4 patients decreased not less than 2 lg(copies/ml). On day 2 and 7, the average decrease was 1.20 lg(copies/ml) and 2.01 lg(copies/ml), maximum was 4.41 lg(copies/ml) and 5.79 lg(copies/ml), respectively. Then HBV DNA level continued decreasing until week 24. 24-week administration of lamivudine cause 4.10 lg(copies/ml) decrease of HBV DNA averagely and 6.68 lg(copies/ml) mostly. Half life of free virion was 2.57 days. Half life of infected hepatocyte was 63.0 days.
Conclusion: Lamivudine could rapidly decrease the HBV DNA level of patients with HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B rapidly.