Treatment of chronic hepatitis B in Oman experience with lamivudine.

BACKGROUND: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in Oman is similar to the Mediterranean Region with significant number of HBeAg negative patients. Interferon therapy is less effective in these patients and lamivudine is an alternative treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty patients (16 HBeAg positive), who received lamivudine were studied retrospectively over 27 months. End of treatment (after 52 weeks) and sustained responses were analyzed for both HBe-antigen positive and negative patients. RESULTS: Of the thirty patients, who received lamivudine, 22 patients (73%) completed 52 weeks therapy. Eight patients had previously received interferon treatment. The overall end-of-treatment (ET) biochemical response was 81.8% and virological response was 45%. Among patients who were HBeAg positive and HBeAg negative, similar proportion of patients achieved end-of-treatment biochemical responses (80% Vs 83.3%) and virological responses (40% Vs 50%) respectively. Sustained biochemical and virological response was achieved in four patients, two each in both groups. Of the nine patients currently receiving treatment, six of them had normalization of ALT and two had undetectable HBV DNA. CONCLUSION: Almost 50% of patients with CHB in Oman have HBeAg negative hepatitis. Therapy with lamivudine is effective in both HBeAg positive and negative cases.