Long‐term efficacy and safety of peginterferon in the treatment of children with HBeAg‐positive chronic hepatitis B

Achieving 'clinical cure' in children with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) with safe and effective antiviral treatment is an unmet medical need. Peginterferon (PegIFN) has higher hepatitis B s antigen (HBsAg) clearance than nucleoside analogs (NUC). Currently, studies on interferon (IFN) in the treatment of Chinese children with CHB are relatively rare. This study aimed to further explore the efficacy of PegIFNα-2a as an antiviral treatment in Chinese children and analyse the long-term follow-up after drug discontinuation. We enrolled 118 patients with CHB (2-16 years old, 79 cases are males) treated with PegIFNα-2a by the author in the Third People's Hospital of Kunming City from February 2009 to February 2015. The course of treatment was 52 weeks, with a follow-up period of 104 weeks. All the patients completed at least 1 dose, of which 104 completed at least 36 weeks of treatment and 104 weeks of follow-up. During treatment and follow-up, indicators such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA and HBV serological markers were monitored, and the efficacy and safety of PegIFNα-2a in the treatment of CHB patients were observed. Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) clearance and seroconversion rates were 53.8% and 49%, respectively, when the drug was discontinued; 72.1% and 72.1%, respectively, at the end of the follow-up; and 98.2% and 98%, respectively, for sustained response. HBsAg clearance and seroconversion rates were 48.1% and 47.1%, respectively, when the drug was discontinued; 53.8% and 52.9%, respectively, at the end of the follow-up; and 94% and 95.9%, respectively, for sustained response. The HBV DNA suppression rate was 89.4% when the drug was discontinued, 90.4% at the end of the follow-up and 97.8% for sustained response. Two patients had virological relapse (2.3%) during follow-up; however, no clinical relapse occurred. Multivariate regression analysis showed that genotype B, weight < 25 kg or between 25 and 45 kg, and reduction of HBsAg by more than 1 log following 24 weeks of treatment were independent predictors of HBsAg clearance at the end of follow-up. Adverse events that occurred during treatment were similar to those reported in previous clinical studies on PegIFN. The results of this study showed that PegIFN was safe and effective in the treatment of children with CHB, and sustained response could be achieved after treatment. PegIFN treatment of children with CHB helps more achieve 'clinical cure'.