Lymphoblastoid alpha-interferon weekly, daily and combined with acyclovir for chronic HBeAg-positive hepatitis.
Patients with chronic hepatitis B and active viral replication had no change in DNA-polymerase (DNA-p) and HBeAg when treated with weekly injections of lymphoblastoid alpha-interferon (IFN) for 4-10 weeks. Daily IFN (2.5 MU/m2 for a period of 4 weeks) was associated with a significant fall (P less than 0.05) in DNA-p but not in HBeAg; DNA-p remained or became negative in 3 out of 10 patients after stopping therapy. Combination of IFN and intravenous acyclovir (ACV, 15 mg/kg twice daily) led to a significantly greater fall in DNA-p and HBeAg, while tolerance of the combination therapy was excellent. Four out of 5 patients became DNA-p-negative and three HBeAg-negative; subsequently two became HBsAg-negative with anti-HBs. We conclude that weekly IFN appears ineffective. Daily IFN depressed hepatitis B virus replication, but does not change markedly the natural course of the disease. Combination therapy with ACV may be more effective than IFN alone and is well tolerated.
D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000097:blood; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000628:therapy*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000502:physiology; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D014779:Virus Replication
D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D007370:Interferon Type I; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; D000212:Acyclovir