title: Changes of hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers during prolonged recombinant interferon alpha-2A treatment of chronic HBV infection.
abstract: Eleven HBsAg chronic carriers were treated with recombinant-interferon (rIFN)-alpha-2A with either 20 X 10(6) (n = 6) or 10 X 10(6) IU/m2 body surface (n = 5), i.m. twice weekly for 6 months. HBV-markers were tested monthly for 15 months. Throughout the follow-up, 6 patients (54%) became HBeAg, HBV-DNAp and HBV-DNA negative (responders). In addition, 8 were HBcAg-negative, 10 anti-HBc-IgM-negative and 2 HBsAg/IgM complexes negative. All patients gave polymerized human serum albumin receptors and HBsAg-positive results. The low rIFN dose seems to be more efficient for clearing HBV-markers than the high dose. Responder patients already showed lower (P less than 0.05) HBsAg concentration and HBsAg/IgM complexes levels in their basal samples as compared to non-responders, and exhibited under rIFN treatment significant decreases (P less than 0.05) in all HBV-markers studied. In conclusion, the most reliable HBV-markers to be assayed in the evaluation of antiviral therapy are HBV-DNA, HBV-DNAp or HBcAg. The testing of pHSA-R, HBsAg/IgM complexes and anti-HBc-IgM does not seem to be very useful.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D007370:Interferon Type I