Among Patients Receiving Lamivudine Therapy Those with HBV Genotype D Achieve Significantly Higher SVR Than Those with Genotype A
Predictors of response of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) to lamivudine (Epivir-HBV) therapy need better definition. Whether hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes could serve as such a predictor has not been well studied. In the current report, Indian researchers aimed to study the association of HBV genotypes with the outcome of lamivudine treatment in patients with CHB.
Seventy-six patients with CHB (45 HBeAg positive) received lamivudine 100 mg/day, orally for 12 months. Infecting HBV genotypes were determined in pre-treatment specimens using restriction fragment length polymorphism. End-of-treatment response (ETR) and sustained viral response (SVR) were defined as undetectable HBV DNA (<0.5 pg/mL) at 12 and 18 months, respectively.
Results
?ETR was observed in 26 (34%) and SVR in 11 (14%) patients receiving lamivudine.
?Pre-treatment characteristics of the responders and non-responders were comparable.
?Genotypes A and D were observed in 28 (37%) and 48 (63%) patients, respectively.
?The frequency of genotypes A and D was comparable between responders (28.6% vs. 37.5%) and non-responders (71.4% vs. 62.5%), respectively (p=ns).
?Of the 26 responders, SVR could be evaluated in 20 subjects; 9 (45%) relapsed and 11 achieved SVR.
?Patients with genotype D achieved higher SVR rate than genotype A (10 of 48, 28.8% vs. 1 of 28, 3.5% p =0.0359).
The authors conclude, 揊orty-five percent of Indian patients with CHB who achieve ETR relapse, and SVR to lamivudine therapy is achieved in 14%.
揚atients with genotype D achieve higher SVR rate than with genotype A.?/span>
Department of Gastroenterology, G B Pant Hospital, New Delhi, India.
04/04/05
Reference
V Thakur and others. Role of HBV genotype in predicting response to lamivudine therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Indian Journal of Gastroenterology 24(1): 12-15. 2005.
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