OBJECTIVETo study the therapy effect of long term lamivudine treatment on active cirrhosis following chronic hepatitis B, and explore the methods for abnormalities resulting from lamivudine withdrawing.

METHODS58 patients received lamivudine 100 mg orally everyday for 18 months. The changes were observed and wrote down, including clinical symptoms and signs, aminotransferase, virology indexes, and the abnormalities after lamivudine withdrawing, then further to find out plans for the latter.

RESULTS(1) After lamivudine treatment, there were 35 patients whose situation stabilized, life quality improved, child-pugh score declined, and liver function turned better. (2) The level of HBV DNA decreased at least 10(3) copies/ml. HBeAg of 33.3% patients (13/39) became negative. (3) Among the 10 patients who stopped lamivudine of their own accord, and came again after 3 - 6 months because of hepatitis B recurring, two were treated with interferon for one month, then turning to liver-protecting methods for deteriorating, the other eight only received liver-protecting and immune-regulating treatment, whose liver function improved.

CONCLUSIONSLong term treatment with lamivudine for active cirrhosis following chronic hepatitis B can improve liver function and life quality, prevent exacerbation. And it is not advisable to use interferon for hepatitis B relapsing after lamivudine withdrawing.