Abstract: AIM: To study the curative effects of lamivudine in treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B and asymptomatic carriers (AsC). METHODS: 92 cases with chronic hepatitis B and AsC were divided into treatment group (n=50) and control group (n=42).50 cases in the treatment group received lamivudine 100 mg diary for 52 wk.Before and after the treatment, liver function, HbsAg, anti-HBs, HbeAg, anti-Hbe, anti- HBc, and HBV-DNA were tested. RESULTS: After 12 wk, ALT normalization rate had no difference in two groups (87.2% vs 75.0%, P >0.05), and the negative transforming rate of HBV-DNA in treatment group was much higher than that in control group (82.0% vs 0, P <0.01).After 52 wk, the ALT normalization rate and negative transforming rate of HBV-DNA in treatment group were 79.4% and 74.0%, respectively, which were much higher than those 46.9% and 7.1% (P <0.05) in control group. CONCLUSION: Lamivudine may effectively control the reproduction of hepatitis B virus and is an effective agent in treatment of chronic hepatitis B.

Key words: pharmacodynamics, lamivudine, chronic hepatitis B, asymptomatic carriers