Factors associated with the virological response of lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B virus during combination therapy with adefovir dipivoxil plus lamivudine

Background The aim of this study was to investigate the factors associated with the response of lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B virus (HBV) during combination therapy with adefovir dipivoxil plus lamivudine. Methods. Sixty-three patients with breakthrough hepatitis received a 10-mg once-daily dose of oral adefovir dipivoxil. Results. The rates of undetectable serum HBV-DNA were 49.2% after 24 weeks, 61.9% after 48 weeks, and 67.2% after 72 weeks. The cumulative hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) loss rates in patients with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels of more than twice the upper limit of normal (ULN) were significantly higher than in patients with ALT less than twice the ULN (P = 0.0145). Multivariate analysis revealed that baseline ALT level (P = 0.003) and HBeAg status (P = 0.049) were associated with early virological response. Conclusions. Baseline ALT level was associated with HBeAg loss and seroconversion, and baseline ALT level and HBeAg status were associated with the virological response of lamivudine-resistant HBV during combination therapy with adefovir dipivoxil plus lamivudine.