Complete Remission of Nephrotic Syndrome of Hepatitis B Virus-associated Membranous Glomerulopathy After Lamivudine Monotherapy

• Main Authors: Tang-Wei Chuang, Chao-Hung Hung, Shun-Chen Huang, Chuan-Mo Lee
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2007-10-01
• Series: Journal of the Formosan Medical Association
• Subjects: hepatitis B virus; lamivudine; membranous glomerulonephritis; nephrotic syndrome
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0929664608600546

We present the case of a 22-year-old male with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, who developed nephrotic syndrome and had complete remission after lamivudine monotherapy. Renal biopsy showed membranous glomerulopathy, and the serum titer of HBV DNA increased to 1,130,000 copies/mL. As symptomatic therapy with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors did not improve the nephrotic syndrome, lamivudine 100 mg per day was started. His alanine aminotransferase level normalized 2 months after treatment, then hepatitis B e antigen seroconversion developed and serum HBV DNA became undetectable. His proteinuria improved subsequently and his leg edema disappeared completely 6 months after treatment. Neither hepatitis nor nephrotic syndrome had relapsed by month 13 when he came for follow-up. This suggests that lamivudine monotherapy may induce and maintain complete remission of membranous glomerulopathy associated with hepatitis B.