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Controlled clinical trial of acyclovir in chronic hepatitis B virus infection
Author(s) -
Alexander Graeme J. M.,
Fagan Elizabeth A.,
Hegarty John E.,
Eddleston Adrian L. W. F.,
Williams Roger,
Yeo Jane
Publication year - 1987
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/jmv.1890210111
Subject(s) - seroconversion , hbeag , medicine , hbsag , virology , gastroenterology , virus , viral disease , hepatitis b virus , liver function , immunology
A randomised, controlled trial comparing acyclovir, 45 mg/kg/day as a continuous IV infusion for 28 days, with no other therapy, was carried out in 30 stable HBsAg carriers seropositive for HBeAg for more than 6 months. Twenty‐eight had hepatitis B virus DNA‐polymerase activity and/or hepatitis B virus DNA in serum at entry into the study. There were no significant adverse effects of therapy. At 12 months, seroconversion from HBeAg to anti‐HBe had occurred in four of 15 treated patients, one of whom had also developed anti‐HBs, compared with only one of 15 in the untreated group (95 % confidence limits 12 % and 51 %). Seroconversion from HBeAg to anti‐HBe was accompanied by return of serum liver function tests to normal and improved liver histology. The results of this study indicate that acyclovir is of no significant benefit in chronic HBeAg carriers with stable disease.