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Interferon‐alpha therapy for chronic hepatitis B: Early response related to pre‐treatment changes in viral replication
Author(s) -
Heijtink R.A.,
Janssen H.L.A.,
Hop W.C.J.,
Osterhaus A.D.M.E.,
Schalm S.W.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/1096-9071(200103)63:3<217::aid-jmv1003>3.0.co;2-2
Subject(s) - virology , alpha interferon , viral replication , interferon , replication (statistics) , interferon alfa , chronic hepatitis , viral disease , antiviral therapy , biology , medicine , virus , immunology
Chronic hepatitis B patients with low pre‐treatment HBeAg (and HBV‐DNA) levels are more likely to respond to interferon‐alpha therapy. In retrospect, this low level of HBeAg may have been reached just before the start of therapy. Pre‐treatment changes in HBeAg levels were studied in 121 patients undergoing interferon‐alpha 2B therapy. HBeAg was monitored by the AxSYM HBe 2.0 Quantitative (Abbott Laboratories) and HBV‐DNA by liquid hybridisation (Abbott Laboratories). At the end of treatment (week 16) 24 patients had responded (HBeAg and HBV‐DNA below the level of detection). Response was significantly ( P = 0.007) related to a decrease in HBeAg level before the start of therapy. Eight of the 24 (33%) responding patients exhibited a > 50% decrease in HBeAg level just before the start of therapy compared to 7 of the 97 (7%) non‐responding patients. The geometric mean titre of HBeAg decreased significantly ( P < 0.005; 8‐week period before start) among responding patients (271 ( 98 PEI U/ml) in contrast to non‐responding patients (737 ( 724 PEI U/ml). Planning the start of interferon treatment just after a spontaneous decrease in HBV replication may increase the response rate for interferon‐alpha therapy. J. Med. Virol. 63:217–219, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.