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Author(s) -
Zhang, H,
Lo, CM,
Hui, CK,
Lai, ST,
Fung, TT,
Leung, N,
Lam, P,
Yiu, J,
Wong, WM,
Lai, LSW,
Fan, ST,
Lau, G
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2006.04405.x
Subject(s) - session (web analytics) , citation , medicine , information retrieval , library science , world wide web , computer science
Background/Aim Although 48-week therapy with pegylated-interferons has been shown to be effective for the treatment of chronichepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, the efcacy of a shorter durationof therapy with pegylated interferons is unknown.Method We retrospectively compared the efcacy of 48 weeks treat-ment with pegylated-interferon-alfa-2a to a 24-week regime withpegylated-interferon-alfa-2b in 53 hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive Chinese patients. Sustained virological response (SVR) wasdened as HBeAg seroconversion and HBV DNA less than 105copies/ml at 24 weeks after the end-of-therapy (EFU).Results Twenty-nine patients were treated with 48 weeks of pegylated-interferon-alfa-2a and 24 patients with 24 weeks of pegylated-interferon-alfa-2b. The baseline characteristics were com-parable between the 2 groups. At the end-of-therapy, 9 of the 29patients (31.0%) treated with 48 weeks of pegylated-interferon-alfa-2a compared with 2 of the 24 patients (8.3%) treated with 24weeks of pegylated-interferon-alfa-2b had HBeAg seroconversion andHBV DNA less than 105 copies/ml (p = 0.09). At the EFU, 10 of the29 patients (34.5%) treated with 48 weeks of pegylated-interferon-alfa-2a compared with 2 of the 24 patients (8.3%) treated with 24weeks of pegylated-interferon-alfa-2b had SVR (p = 0.04). There wasno withdrawals from treatment in both groups. Adverse events werecomparable between the 2 groups.Conclusion A 48-week course of pegylated-interferon may be asso-ciated with a higher SVR when compared with 24-week of pegylated-interferon-alfa-2b.link_to_subscribed_fulltex