Abstract | BACKGROUND: OBJECTIVES: PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-six patients with chronic delta hepatitis were retrospectively studied between January 2002 and December 2010. Patients were evaluated for biochemical, virological, and histological responses. They were then followed-up for at least 1 year after discontinuation of the treatment. RESULTS: All the 46 patients in the study received PEG-IFN therapy. Of the 46 patients,25 were treated with PEG-IFN for 1 year and 21 were treated for 2 years. Sixteen patients(34.7%) showed a biochemical response, 27 (58.6%) showed a virological response, and 39 (84.7%) showed a histological response. Sustained virological and biochemical responseswere achieved in 41% and 47.8% of the patients, respectively. Sixteen (84.2%) patients of the 19 with high levels of hepatitis delta virus RNA (HDV RNA) (HDV RNAlevel > 1 × 105) and 10 (71.4%) of the 14 patients with high titers of hepatitis B surface antigen( HbsAg) ( HbsAg > 102 IU/mL) at the beginning of the treatment showed relapse after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: We found no significant differences between 1-year and 2-year treatments.However, the relapse rate was lower in the 2-year treatment group. Higher HDV RNA and HbsAg levels before treatment were associated with higher relapse rates. Younger age was a significant factor in predicting response.
|
Authors | Serda Gulsun, Recep Tekin, Fatma Bozkurt |
Journal | Hepatitis monthly
(Hepat Mon)
Vol. 11
Issue 9
Pg. 731-5
(Sep 2011)
ISSN: 1735-3408 [Electronic] Netherlands |
PMID | 22235216
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
|