Hepatitis B virus genotype has no impact on hepatitis B e antigen seroconversion after lamivudine treatment

AIM: To investigate the association of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype and HBeAg seroconversion after nucleotide analogue treatment. METHODS: Chronic hepatitis B patients receiving lamivudine followed up for at least 6 months post-treatment were studied. Consecutive treatment-naïve patients who were prospectively followed up in the clinic for at least 18 months were studied as controls. HBeAg seroconversion was defined as loss of HBeAg, appearance of anti-HBe and normalization of alanine aminotransferase for at least 6 months. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients on lamivudine and 96 control patients followed up for 39 (18-49) months were studied. Lamivudine was given for 12 (10-18) months, and patients were followed up for 15 (6-34) months after drug cessation. Genotype B and C HBV were found in 43 and 88 patients and HBeAg seroconversion occurred in 12 (28%) and 16 (18%) patients, respectively (P=0.30). There was no difference in HBeAg seroconversion between patients infected by genotype B and C HBV in the control (35% vs 21%, P=0.25) and lamivudine-treated (14% vs 10%, P=1.00) groups. CONCLUSION: HBeAg seroconversion after treatment by lamivudine was not influenced by the HBV genotype.