title: Relation of changes in hepatitis B virus replication markers to the outcome of interferon treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis.
abstract: The relationship between the behavior of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication markers and the response to treatment with recombinant alpha-2b interferon (IFN) was investigated in 11 patients with chronic hepatitis. At the end of 6 months of treatment, 4 patients showed a complete response to IFN: 2 more patients had seroconversion to HBeAb after 8 and 9 months of follow-up, respectively. The response to IFN was partial in the remaining patients. Pre-treatment levels of HBV DNA in patients showing complete response were lower than pre-treatment levels in patients with partial response: in addition, serum HBV DNA clearance during the treatment was associated with sustained remission more frequently than changes in the HBeAg/HBeAb system.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Malattie Infettive, Prima Facoltà di Medicina, Università di Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nardiello
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gargiulo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pizzella
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Digilio
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Ottavio
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Galanti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000410:Alanine Transaminase