Clinical Efficacy of Lamivudine Plus Interferon for Chronic Hepatitis B

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical efficacy of lamivudine plus interferon for chronic hepatitis B so as to provide scientific basis for patients' drug discontinuance. METHODS: A total of 100 patients who have been confirmed as having chronic hepatitis B during Jan. 2010-Jan. 2011 during outpatient visit of liver clinic of our hospital were assigned to receive either interferon plus lamivudine( treatment group) or lamivudine alone( control group) for 1 year of 50 cases each after gaining consent from patients. After treatment of 24 and 48 weeks,the alanine aminotransferase( ALT) recovery,negative-conversion rates of hepatitis B virus surface antigen( HBeAg) and hepatitis B virus DNA( HBV-DNA),the incidence of adverse reactions and the rate of drug resistance as well as the cost of treatment were recorded. RESULTS: After treatment with lamivudine plus interferon for 24 weeks,the ALT recovery rate was 96%( 48 /50),which was higher than 68%( 34 /50) in the control group,with statistically significant differences noted between two groups( P 0. 05). After treatment with lamivudine plus interferon for 24 and 48 weeks,the negative-conversion rates of HBeAg was 66%( 33 /50),64%( 32 /50),respectively,as compared with 8%( 4 /50) and 12%( 6 /50),respectively in the control group,and the differences were statistically significant( P 0. 05). After treatment with lamivudine plus interferon for 48 weeks,the negative-conversion rate of HBV-DNA was 96%( 48 /50),which was higher than 72%( 36 /50) in the control group,showing statistically significant differences between two groups( P 0. 05). The drug resistant rate and treatment cost in the treatment group were significantly lower than in the control group [44%( 20 /50) vs. 76%( 38 /50) and 5 712 Yuan vs. 11 328 Yuan], with statistically significant differences noted between two groups( P 0. 05). CONCLUSION: Treatment of chronic hepatitis B with lamivudine plus interferon resulted in better efficacy than did lamivudine alone. Applying the abovementioned therapy clinically serves as effectively guidance in outpatients' drug discontinuance.