Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 29, 2026

Isolation of Fidelity Variants of RNA Viruses and Characterization of Virus Mutation Frequency
Published on: June 16, 2011
Virological response to adefovir monotherapy and the risk of adefovir resistance
Dong Hyun Sinn1, Hyang Ie Lee, Geum-Youn Gwak
1Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 135-710 Seoul, South Korea.
Aim:
To evaluate virological response to adefovir (ADV) monotherapy and emergence of ADV-resistant mutations in lamivudine (LAM)-resistant chronic hepatitis B patients.
Methods:
Seventy-seven patients with documented LAM resistance who were treated with 10 mg/d ADV for > 96 wk were analyzed for ADV resistance.
Results:
At week 48 and 96, eight (10%) and 14 (18%) of 77 LAM-resistant patients developed the ADV-resistant strain (rtA181V/T and/or rtN236T mutations), respectively. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels during therapy were significantly higher in patients who developed ADV resistance than in those who did not. Incidence of ADV resistance at week 96 was 11%, 8% and 6% among patients with complete virological response (HBV DNA level < 60 IU/mL); 0%, 5% and 19% among patients with partial virological response (HBV DNA level ≥ 60 to 2000 IU/mL); and 32%, 34% and 33% among patients with inadequate virological response (HBV DNA levels > 2000 IU/mL) at week 12, week 24 and week 48, respectively. HBV DNA levels > 2000 IU/mL at week 24 showed best performance characteristics in predicting ADV resistance.
Conclusion:
Development of ADV resistance mutations was associated with HBV DNA levels, which could identify patients with LAM resistance who are likely to respond to ADV monotherapy.
Related Concept Videos
Antiviral Nucleoside Inhibitors
Inhibitors Of Virion Release
Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis
Retrovirus Life Cycles
Viral Hepatitis I: Introduction
Retroviruses

