Long-term results of interferon alpha monotherapy in patients with HBeAg-Negative chronic hepatitis B

We sought to evaluate the long-term results of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) therapy in patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B. Eighty HBeAg-negative naive patients (62 men; mean age, 39.9 years) who received IFN-alpha for 6 months were studied. Alanine aminotransfer...

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Published in:Digestive diseases and sciences 2007-03, Vol.52 (3), p.727-731
Main Authors: KAYMAKOGLU, Sabahattin, DANALIOGLU, Ahmet, OKTEN, Atilla, DEMIR, Kadir, KARACA, Cetin, AKYUZ, Filiz, ONEL, Derya, BADUR, Selim, CEVIKBAS, Ugur, BESISIK, Fatih, CAKALOGLU, Yilmaz
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use
Biological and medical sciences
DNA, Viral - analysis
Female
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B e Antigens
Hepatitis B virus
Hepatitis B virus - immunology
Hepatitis B, Chronic - drug therapy
Hepatitis B, Chronic - immunology
Human viral diseases
Humans
Infectious diseases
Interferon
Interferon alpha-2
Interferon-alpha - therapeutic use
Male
Medical sciences
Recombinant Proteins
Recurrence
Retrospective Studies
Treatment Outcome
Viral diseases
Viral hepatitis
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Summary:We sought to evaluate the long-term results of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) therapy in patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B. Eighty HBeAg-negative naive patients (62 men; mean age, 39.9 years) who received IFN-alpha for 6 months were studied. Alanine aminotransferase normalization with undetectable HBV-DNA by molecular hybridization was accepted as response. All patients but 1 were precirrhotic stage. At the end of treatment, 44 (55%) patients responded, and they were followed for a mean of 59.5 months (range, 18-132). Twenty-seven patients (61.4%) showed recurrence (63% in first year). Responses at 6 months and at the end of the follow-up period 42.5% and 30% (including 7 patients without end treatment response), respectively. Recurrence of HBV replication was not detected after the 2-years follow-up period. Histologic improvement was observed in 83.3% patients with end-of-follow-up response. HBsAg became negative in 4 patients (5%). On multivariate analysis, younger age (P = .04) and lower GGT level (P = .037) were independent factors for prediction of end-of-follow-up response. Nearly half of the patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B responds to IFN-alpha at the end of therapy. Despite the high recurrence rates, response continues in about one third of patients after a mean of 59.5 months.
ISSN:0163-2116
1573-2568
DOI:10.1007/s10620-006-9445-1