An investigation of histological improvement in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with Lamivudine

AIM: To investigate the serum indices changes and liver histopathological changes of chronic hepatitis B patients treated with Lamivudine. METHODS: Twenty-one patients with chronic hepatitis B were selected at random and treated with Lamivudine 100 mg/d for one year. The HBV-DNA copy number, Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity, as well as HA, LN, PCIII and IVC concentrations were analyzed in sera from patients at baseline, and 24 weeks and 48 weeks after lamivudine treatment. Needle biopsy of liver was performed in eight patients before and after Lamivudine treatment to observe the liver histopathological changes. RESULTS: After the 48 weeks of Lamivudine treatment, ALT and AST levels (nkat/L) reduced from 1697±907 to 550±503 ( P 0.01) and 1787±717 to 498±430 ( P 0.01) , HBV-DNA level (copy/L, from 6.13×10 9±4.03×10 5 to 9.01×10 5±4.89×10 3) and four hepatic fibrosis markers in serum also significantly decreased ( P 0.01). Patients treated with Lamivudine had an evident decrease of inflammation and fibrosis in portal vein of the liver tissue. CONCLUSION: Lamivudine can treat chronic hepatitis B effectively.