title: Effects of alpha-interferon and prednisone on serum-soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) in chronic hepatitis B infection.
abstract: The level of serum-soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) was measured in 32 patients to investigate the effect of prednisone and alpha-interferon therapy on chronic hepatitis B virus infection. All the patients were seropositive for hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis B e antigen, with histological evidence of chronic persistent or chronic active hepatitis. Twenty-six patients received oral prednisone, followed by subcutaneous recombinant alpha-interferon, and six patients received multivitamin tablets and served as controls. After 4 wk of prednisone in reducing dosage, serum sIL-2R fell significantly from 673.6 +/- 52.9 U/ml to 584.8 +/- 39.4 U/ml (mean +/- SE, p less than 0.05). It rose to 733.4 +/- 45.7 U/ml (p less than 0.05) on the 4th wk of interferon, but returned to pretreatment level at completion of interferon. There was a significant correlation between serum sIL-2R and alanine aminotransferase levels (r = 0.36, p less than 0.001). The level of serum sIL-2R before treatment and its response to prednisone and interferon were not useful in predicting seroconversion of hepatitis B e antigen and anti-hepatitis B e.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin.
authors.forename: N W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011241:Prednisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000187:drug effects*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D011241:Prednisone