title: [Can chronic hepatitis B patients overcome resistance to antiviral therapy due to production of antibodies to recombinant alpha-2-interferon?].
abstract: Virologic screening helped single out a group of 25 patients with chronic hepatitis B not responding to antiviral therapy with recombinant interferon, with persistence of HBeAg and HBV DNA in the blood sera. Enzyme immunoassay revealed in 7 of them antibodies to alpha 2-interferon (anti-IF). To reduce anti-IF production, preliminary immunosuppressive therapy with azathioprine (100 mg) and prednisolone (40 mg daily) with gradual decrease of the dose and discontinuation of therapy by the end of the 4th week was carried out. Then a course of antiviral therapy with IF in dose 4 min U i.m. every other day was carried out, total dose per course being at least 100 min U. In 2 of the 4 patients administered a complete course of immunosuppressive and antiviral therapy anti-IF, HBeAg, anti-HBc IgM, receptor to polymerized human serum albumin, and HBV DNA were no longer detected. If anti-IF still persisted after a course of immunosuppressive therapy, subsequent antiviral treatment did not influence the level of virus replication. Patients responding to therapy by elimination of HBeAg and HBV DNA had much lower titers of HBeAg and lower concentration of HBV DNA. The initial level of anti-IF was not related to the pattern of response.
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Fedorchenko
mesh_terms: D000917:Antibody Formation; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004351:Drug Resistance; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011239:Prednisolone; D001379:Azathioprine
vernacular_title: Mozhno li preodolet' rezistentnost' bol'nykh khronicheskim gepatitom B k antivirusnoĭ terapii iz-za produktsii antitel k rekombinantomu alpha-2-interferonu?