Premium
Recombinant interferon‐α 2a hastens the rate of HBeAg clearance in children with chronic hepatitis B
Author(s) -
Barbera Cristiana,
Bortolotti Flavia,
Crivellaro Carlo,
Coscia Alessandra,
Zancan Lucia,
Cadrobbi Paolo,
Nebbia Gabriella,
Pillan Maria Nazarena,
Lepore Loredana,
Parrella Teresa,
Dastoli Giuseppe,
Brunetto Maurizia R.,
Bonino Ferruccio
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.1840200203
Subject(s) - seroconversion , hbeag , medicine , recombinant dna , antibody , immunology , hepatitis b virus , alpha interferon , interferon , interferon alfa , gastroenterology , virology , hepatitis b , hepatitis , virus , hbsag , biology , biochemistry , gene
We conducted a prospective controlled study of the efficacy of recombinant interferon‐α 2a in 77 children (44 boys, 33 girls, mean age 8 yr) with chronic hepatitis B. All patients had seropositive results for HBeAg and hepatitis B virus DNA; 52 had chronic persistent or nonspecific reactive hepatitis, and 25 had mild active hepatitis. Twenty‐one children (group 1) received recombinant interferon‐α 2a 7.5 megaunits/m 2 three times weekly for 6 mo, 19 children (group 2) received mega‐units/m 2 on the same schedule and 37 (group 3) remained untreated. At 6 mo, HBe antigen‐to‐antibody seroconversion associated with biochemical remission was seen in 24% of patients in group 1, 5% in group 2 and 3% in group 3 (p<0.05 vs. group 1). At 18 mo, seroconversion rates were 30% in group 1, 21% in group 2 and 13.5% in group 3. These results suggest that a course of recombinant interferon‐α 2a accelerates HBeAg—HBe antibody seroconversion in children. High baseline ALT levels were sensitive predictors of seroconversion in both treated and untreated patients. In contrast, baseline IgM HBc antibody levels influenced the rate of anti‐HBe seroconversion only in untreated patients. These findings suggest that, in children as well as in adults, recombinant interferon‐α 2a favors the clearance of hepatitis B virus replication, enhancing the host antiviral immunoresponse. (Hepatology 1994;20:287‐290.)