Efficacy of low-dose alpha interferon therapy in HBV-related chronic liver disease in Asian Indians: a randomized controlled trial.

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS:

Interferon therapy has been shown to be effective in Western patients with chronic hepatitis due to hepatitis B viral infection, but not in Asian Chinese. Its efficacy in Asian Indian subjects with chronic HBV infection is not known.

METHODS:

Forty-one patients with HBV-related chronic liver disease received randomly either: (a) recombinant alpha 2b interferon (n = 20) 3 MIU, subcutaneously, three times a week for 4 months, or (b) no treatment (n = 21). Patients were followed up for 12 months after completion of therapy.

RESULTS:

In the interferon-treated group, complete response (loss of HBV-DNA and HBeAg) was significantly higher than spontaneous clearance in the control group (50% vs. 4.8% p < 0.05). Seroconversion to anti-HBe was seen in 35% of the treated and 4.8% of the control group (p < 0.05) at 4 months; it was noticeably higher in patients with chronic hepatitis than in those with cirrhosis. In the responders, alanine aminotransferase levels nearly normalized. One year after interferon therapy, HBeAg and HBV-DNA clearance was observed in 65% of patients, with HBsAg clearance in 15%. Reactivation was not seen in any patient. Side-effects were transient and minimal.

CONCLUSION:

Low-dose recombinant alpha interferon therapy is quite effective and safe in Asian Indians with chronic liver disease due to hepatitis B infection.

• Authors: S K Sarin, R C Guptan, V Thakur, S Malhotra, V Malhotra, K Banerjee, P Khandekar
• Journal: Journal of hepatology (J Hepatol) Vol. 24 Issue 4 Pg. 391-6 (Apr 1996) ISSN: 0168-8278 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 8738724 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Interferon alpha-2
• Interferon-alpha
• Recombinant Proteins
• Alanine Transaminase

Topics

• Alanine Transaminase (blood)
• Asia (ethnology)
• Chronic Disease
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Follow-Up Studies
• Hepatitis (therapy)
• Hepatitis B (complications)
• Humans
• India (ethnology)
• Interferon alpha-2
• Interferon-alpha (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Liver Cirrhosis (therapy)
• Liver Diseases (ethnology, therapy, virology)
• Recombinant Proteins
• Treatment Outcome