ObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy and side effects of telbivudine and lamivudine for treatment of chronic hepatitis B for 1 year. MethodsIn this random and control study,the efficacy of telbivudine and lamivudine treatments were compared in 120 patients who consisted of 60 cases with HBeAg-negative and 60 cases with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B.The patients were randomly assigned to a daily 600mug telhivudine treatment group or daily 100mg lamivudine group for 52 weeks.The clinical efficacy and adverse reactions of the two groups were observed in control after 52 weeks of therapy,and dynamics of serum HBsAg,HBeAg levels were monitored and compared. ResultsAt week 52,mean reductions of serum HBV DNA from baseline and undetectable serum HBV DNA rates among patients with HBeAg-negative and HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B were significantly greater in the telbivudine-treated patients than in the lamivudine-treated group(all P＜0.05).Viral resistance and viral breakthrough was significant common in lamivudine compared with telbivudine(all P＜0.05).Among patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B,telbivudine was significant superior to lamivudine with respect to loss of HBeAg(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in side effects between patients treated with tebivudine and Iamivudine. ConclusionTelbivudine was more effective than lamivudine in treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B,and the drug was well tolerated.