Interferon for hepatitis B: US experience.

Abstract

This paper reviews the results of recent studies carried out in the USA on the treatment of chronic hepatitis B with interferon alfa-2b. In the US multicentre trial, 37% of patients lost hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA when treated with 5 million units (MU) daily for 16 weeks, compared to 42% in the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) trial treated with 10 MU thrice weekly for 16 weeks. In both studies, the loss of HBeAg and HBV-DNA was associated with virological, biochemical, histological, and clinical improvement. Long term follow up in the National Institutes of Health study showed that 65% of responders had disappearance of HBsAg over a mean of four years, suggesting that termination of the HBV carrier state may be possible.

• Authors: R P Perrillo
• Journal: Gut (Gut) Vol. 34 Issue 2 Suppl Pg. S95-6 ( 1993) ISSN: 0017-5749 [Print] England
• PMID: 8314498 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• DNA, Viral
• Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
• Hepatitis B e Antigens
• Interferon alpha-2
• Interferon-alpha
• Recombinant Proteins

Topics

• Carrier State
• Chronic Disease
• DNA, Viral (blood)
• Follow-Up Studies
• Hepatitis B (immunology, therapy)
• Hepatitis B Surface Antigens (blood)
• Hepatitis B e Antigens (blood)
• Hepatitis B virus (isolation & purification)
• Humans
• Interferon alpha-2
• Interferon-alpha (therapeutic use)
• Recombinant Proteins
• United States