title: Treatment of chronic hepatitis B with beta interferon given intramuscularly: a pilot study.
abstract: In a pilot study aimed to test the therapeutic potential of beta interferon (IFN) given intramuscularly we treated 4 patients with HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B with a progressively increased dosage of beta IFN (from 5 to 9 million units daily) for 1 month and with 9 million units for 5 additional months, thrice weekly. In 3 of the 4 patients, serum HBV-DNA decreased during therapy and remained undetectable in 2 who seroconverted from HBeAg to anti-HBe while in 1 patient viraemia rebounded to pretreatment levels during the follow-up. In the remaining patient serum HBV-DNA fluctuated during treatment. These results suggest that beta IFN given intramuscularly has a potential therapeutic efficacy in patients with chronic hepatitis B and prompt further clinical trials in a larger number of patients.
authors.affiliation: Servizio di Gastroenterologia, Ospedale Molinette, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Capalbo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Actis
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maurizia
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brunetto
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Poli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baldi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Palmisano
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Verme
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D016899:Interferon-beta; D000410:Alanine Transaminase