Efficacy of Lamivudine therapy on decompensated liver cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis B

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of lamivudine on liver function and clinical status of the patients with decompensated cirrhosis arising from hepatitis B virus [HBV]. In a clinical trial on the basis of liver consideration in 55 patients with cirrhosis that had positive HBsAg and HBV DNA, Child-Pugh score more than 8 and some other criteria were treated with lamivudine. In these patients, serum level of bilirubin, albumin, ALT, AST and also the PT-INR were controlled at the beginning of study and then at intervals of 2 to 6 months and finally 12 months after the start of treatment. Five patients died in the first 6 months of treatments. The following results are related to 50 patients being under treatment with lamivudine at least for a period of 6 months. In these patients mean Child-Pugh score was decreased from 11 +/- 2 to 7 +/- 1 [P < 0.0001]. All of the patients tolerated this drug very well. Lamivudine can be effective in improvement of liver function in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis resulting from HBV, but for determination of proper period of treatment, further studies are necessary