Quantitative Assessment of Hepatitis B Virus DNA during a 24-Week Course of Lamivudine Therapy
Authors: Pieter Honkoop
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1998)

Letters15 April 1998Quantitative Assessment of Hepatitis B Virus DNA during a 24-Week Course of Lamivudine TherapyPieter Honkoop, MD, Robert A. de Man, MD, PhD, and Hubert G.M. Niesters, MD, PhDPieter Honkoop, MDErasmus University Hospital; Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Robert A. de Man, MD, PhDErasmus University Hospital; Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and Hubert G.M. Niesters, MD, PhDErasmus University Hospital; Rotterdam, the NetherlandsAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-128-8-199804150-00028 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Lamivudine is a nucleoside analogue with activity against hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication. The standard HBV DNA hybridization assay used in most clinical studies has a low sensitivity; the detection limit of HBV DNA levels is approximately 107 genome equivalents per mL (genome Eq/mL) [1, 2]. We measured HBV DNA levels with the semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay (detection limit, approximately 103 genome Eq/mL, calibrated on the Eurohep HBV DNA standard) during a 24-week course of lamivudine therapy.Fifty-one stable patients (hepatitis B e antigen-positive) with chronic hepatitis B were randomly allocated to receive oral lamivudine, ...References1. Dienstag JL, Perrillo RP, Schiff ER, Bartholomew M, Vicary C, Rubin M. A preliminary trial of lamivudine for chronic hepatitis B infection. N Engl J Med. 1995; 333:1657-61. Google Scholar2. Nevens F, Main J, Honkoop P, Tyrrell DL, Barber J, Sullivan M, et al. Lamivudine therapy for chronic hepatitis B: a six-month randomized dose ranging study. Gastroenterology. 1997; 113:1258-63. Google Scholar3. Honkoop P, de Man RA, Zondervan PE, Schalm SW. Histological improvement in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection treated with lamivudine. Liver. 1997; 17:103-6. Google Scholar4. Bartholomew MM, Jansen RW, Jeffers LJ, Reddy KR, Johnson LC, Bunzendahl H, et al. Hepatitis-B-virus resistance to lamivudine given for recurrent infection after orthotopic liver transplantation. Lancet. 1997; 349:20-2. Google Scholar5. Honkoop P, Niesters HG, de Man RA, Osterhaus AD, Schalm SW. Lamivudine resistance in immunocompetent chronic hepatitis B: incidence and patterns. J Hepatol. 1997; 26:1393-5. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Erasmus University Hospital; Rotterdam, the Netherlands PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByChronic hepatitis B virus infection in renal transplant recipientsManagement of viral hepatitis BResistance of Hepatitis B Virus to Antiviral Drugs: Current Aspects and Directions for Future InvestigationDevelopment of a Quantitative Real-Time Detection Assay for Hepatitis B Virus DNA and Comparison with Two Commercial AssaysUse of the Hepatitis B Virus Recombinant Baculovirus-HepG2 System to Study the Effects of (−)-β-2′,3′-Dideoxy-3′-Thiacytidine on Replication of Hepatitis B Virus and Accumulation of Covalently Closed Circular DNAGoals of Antiviral Therapy: Viral Clearance or ALT Normalization 15 April 1998Volume 128, Issue 8Page: 697KeywordsAttentionChronic hepatitis BDNADNA hybridizationHepatitis BHepatitis B virusLiverNucleosidesPolymerase chain reactionViral replication Issue Published: 15 April 1998 CopyrightCopyright © 1998 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...