A partially overlapping treatment course with lamivudine and interferon in hepatitis B e antigen-negative chronic hepatitis B.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Treatment of patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHBe-) with interferon or lamivudine alone is inefficient and reports of combination treatment with both drugs, equivocal so far.

AIM:

To investigate the efficacy of a lamivudine-interferon combination therapy in 36 patients HBeAg-negative CHBe-.

METHODS:

Lamivudine was administered from 1 to 12 months and interferon-alpha2b from 7 to 18 months. A historical control group of 36 CHBe- patients, matched for age and sex and treated with the same dosage of interferon-alpha2b was used. All patients were followed up for > or =12-month post-treatment.

RESULTS:

The biochemical response rate at the end of treatment was 78% in lamivudine-interferon and 52.8% in interferon-control group (P = 0.026) and at 12-month post-treatment 38.9% and 22.2%, respectively (P = 0.125). Alanine aminotransferase normalization and serum HBV-DNA levels < or =30 000 cp/mL were observed in 50.0% of lamivudine-interferon-treated and 30.6% of interferon-treated patients at the end of treatment (P =0.093) and in 22.2% and 13.9% of patients, respectively, at 12-month post-treatment (P = 0.358). Moreover, alanine aminotransferase normalization and undetectable serum HBV-DNA (<400 cp/mL) was observed in 30.6% of lamivudine-interferon-treated and 8.3% of interferon-treated patients at the end of treatment (P = 0.017) and in 8.3% and 0% of patients, respectively, at 12-month post-treatment (P = 0.076).

CONCLUSIONS:

In CHBe-, 12 months after ending a lamivudine-interferon partially overlapping 18-month combination course, 22% of patients still maintain normal alanine aminotransferase and HBV-DNA levels < or =30 000 cp/mL. However, a 12-month interferon monotherapy course may achieve similar responses.

• Authors: E K Manesis, G V Papatheodoridis, S J Hadziyannis
• Journal: Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics (Aliment Pharmacol Ther) Vol. 23 Issue 1 Pg. 99-106 (Jan 01 2006) ISSN: 0269-2813 [Print] England
• PMID: 16393286 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antiviral Agents
• DNA, Viral
• Hepatitis B e Antigens
• Interferon alpha-2
• Interferon-alpha
• Recombinant Proteins
• Lamivudine
• Alanine Transaminase

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Alanine Transaminase (blood)
• Antiviral Agents (therapeutic use)
• Case-Control Studies
• DNA, Viral (blood)
• Drug Administration Schedule
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Hepatitis B e Antigens (blood)
• Hepatitis B, Chronic (blood, drug therapy)
• Humans
• Interferon alpha-2
• Interferon-alpha (therapeutic use)
• Lamivudine (therapeutic use)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Recombinant Proteins