The course of chronic hepatitis B is characterized by clinical and biochemical exacerbation and remission. It has been established that the clearance of HBeAg is usually accompanied by biochemical remission. However, no study has been attempted to determine the cumulative biochemical remission rate in patients with chronic hepatitis B and persistent HBe antigenemia. Therefore, we conducted a prospective, ]ongitudinal study to investigate the biochemical remission rate in 102 HBeAg-positive patients with chronic hepatitis B. Biochemical remission was defined as an improvement of serum ALT value into normal levels. They were followed up over a period of 1~3 yr with a regular checkup for serum HBeAg and biochemical liver function tests evety 1~3 months. The cumulative remission rates of a total number of 102 patients were 53.92%, 76.47% and 84.31%, at the end of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd year of follow-up, respectively. The rates of biochemical remission in patients with negative seroconversion of HBeAg were 90.00%(9/10), 96.77%(30/31) and 94.87%(37/39) at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd year of follow-np, respectively. In comparison, the biochemical remission rate in, patients with persistent HBe antigenemia at the 1st year was lower than that of the patients with negative seroconversion of HBeAg; however, the rates were comparable to those of the patients with negative HBeAg seroconversion at the end of 2nd (38/53: 71. 70%) anr 3rd (4/4: 100%) year. We concluded that serum HBeAg/anti-HBe system may not be an adequatc variable for predicting the biochemical remission and accompanying clinical outcome of chronic hepatitis B, because biochemical remission rates in patients with chronic hepatitis B and persistent HBe antigenemia were as high. as those of the patients with negative seroconversion of HBeAg except for the 1st year.