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Long term response to therapy of chronic anti-HBe-positive hepatitis B is poor independent of type and schedule of interferon.
- Source :
-
The American journal of gastroenterology [Am J Gastroenterol] 1999 May; Vol. 94 (5), pp. 1366-72. - Publication Year :
- 1999
-
Abstract
- Objective: The response rate to alpha interferon (IFN) of chronic anti-HBe-positive hepatitis B is variable. We studied whether type, dose, and schedule of IFN, and type and frequency of posttreatment monitoring, influence the response rate.<br />Methods: Seventy-two consecutive anti-HBe-positive chronic hepatitis B patients (59 male and 13 female, median age 41 yr) stratified by sex and histology were randomly allocated to three treatment arms. Twenty-seven patients (A) received 10 million units alpha-N1 IFN i.m. t.w. for 24 wk (total dose: 720 million units); 21 (B) received 9 million units alpha-2a IFN i.m. t.w. for 4 wk, followed by 18 million units for 12 wk and 9 million units for 8 wk (972 million units); 24 (C) received 2 alpha-2a IFN courses (9 million units i.m. t.w. for 16 and 12 wk separated by a 6-month interval [756 million units]). Primary response was defined by normal ALT and serum HBV-DNA levels below 10 pg/ml at the end of therapy and sustained response by normal ALT (tested monthly), undetectable HBV-DNA and IgM anti-HBc (<7 I.U. Paul Ehrlich Institute) (tested every 3 months) during the posttreatment follow-up.<br />Results: At the end of treatment, 12, 8, and 13 patients from groups A, B, and C, respectively, were responders. At the 18-month follow-up, two patients in group A and only one in groups B and C maintained the response. Overall, after 34 months (median posttreatment follow-up), three patients were long term responders, whereas three showed a sustained remission after relapse.<br />Conclusions: The rate of long term response to interferon of anti-HBe-positive chronic hepatitis B is poor, independent of IFN type, dose, or schedule; the more stringent the monitoring, the higher the relapse rate.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Alanine Transaminase blood
Drug Administration Schedule
Female
Hepatitis B, Chronic diagnosis
Hepatitis B, Chronic immunology
Humans
Interferon Type I administration & dosage
Interferon alpha-2
Interferon-alpha administration & dosage
Liver pathology
Male
Middle Aged
Recombinant Proteins
Recurrence
Treatment Outcome
Antiviral Agents administration & dosage
Hepatitis B Antibodies analysis
Hepatitis B e Antigens immunology
Hepatitis B, Chronic therapy
Interferons administration & dosage
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0002-9270
- Volume :
- 94
- Issue :
- 5
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- The American journal of gastroenterology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 10235220
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1572-0241.1999.01088.x