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Treatment of chronic hepatitis B.

Abstract
Alpha-interferon has emerged as the most effective agent for the treatment of chronic hepatitis when active replication of virus B or D is present. Exogenous administration of human alpha-interferon, now possible through modern large-scale production methods, is associated with disappearance of virus from blood. Amelioration of liver disease occurs in 35% of patients with chronic hepatitis B (e-positive) with interferon doses of 10 MU thrice weekly for 16 weeks; after therapy persistent normalization of serum aminotransferases is observed in 30%. Improvement in liver disease has only occasionally been documented for chronic hepatitis D and for chronic hepatitis B e-minus mutant. Enhanced response rates (> 50%) may possibly be obtained by prolonged intermittent interferon therapy. Combination of interferon with another "antiviral" agent (vidarabine, acyclovir, prednisone) has not increased therapeutic efficacy. Alpha-interferon induces side-effects such as fatigue, flu-like syndrome, myalgia and changes in mood. Patients with decompensated cirrhosis are particularly prone to bacterial infection and disease exacerbation and should receive lower-than-normal doses. Interferon, when applied skillfully, induces the highly beneficial transition of active viral replication into viral latency, thereby greatly reducing infectivity, symptoms and activity of the liver disease.
AuthorsS W Schalm
JournalThe Netherlands journal of medicine (Neth J Med) Vol. 44 Issue 3 Pg. 103-9 (Mar 1994) ISSN: 0300-2977 [Print] Netherlands
PMID8202205 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)
Chemical References
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Interferon-alpha
Topics
  • Antiviral Agents (therapeutic use)
  • Chronic Disease
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Drug Costs
  • Hepatitis B (blood, classification, microbiology, therapy)
  • Hepatitis D (therapy)
  • Humans
  • Interferon-alpha (economics, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
  • Multicenter Studies as Topic
  • Prognosis
  • Virus Latency
  • Virus Replication

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