Bolukbas Cengiz, Bolukbas Fusun Filiz, Kendir Tulin, Akbayir Nihat, Ince Ali Tuzun, Abut Evren, Horoz Mehmet, Dalay Ali Remzi, Sokmen Mehmet Haci, Ovunc Oya
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Harran University, Sanliurfa, and Gastroenterology Clinic, Haydarpasa Numune Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Dig Dis Sci. 2006 Jul;51(7):1196-202. doi: 10.1007/s10620-006-8032-9.
In this study, the effect of lamivudine therapy on viral suppression, Child-Pugh score, and survival was assessed in patients with decompensated cirrhosis due to precore mutant hepatitis B virus and the results were compared with those for nonreplicative cirrhotic patients. Twenty-three replicative patients who received lamivudine and 15 nonreplicative patients were included and followed up for an average of 23.7+/-13.4 months. At baseline, there were no significant differences between the groups with regard to clinical and biochemical parameters or Child-Pugh scores, except for serum alanine aminotransferase levels (P<0.05) and quantitative hepatitis B virus DNA measurements (P<0.001). Compared to baseline, there was no significant difference in Child-Pugh score in the lamivudine group at the last visit (P=0.202), whereas a marked increase was observed in nonreplicative patients (P=0.002). Mortality rates in the lamivudine and nonreplicative groups were 17.43% and 13.3%, respectively (P=0.556), and there was no difference in survival analysis (P=0.809). Lamivudine therapy stabilizing clinical situation in decompensated cirrhotics with precore mutation makes the natural history of the disease equal with nonreplicative decompensated cirrhotics or even provides some advantages over them.
