Prolonged alpha interferon therapy for chronic delta hepatitis: effect on liver histopathology.
Alpha interferon therapy in patients with chronic delta hepatitis treatment was associated with a decrease in serum aminotransferase activities and disappearance or decrease in serum levels of HDV RNA. Serum biochemical and serological changes were associated with amelioration of hepatic injury and a decrease (but not a disappearance) in hepatic HDAg on liver biopsy. Two cases lost HBsAg during therapy, only one of whom had lost hepatic HDAg entirely at the end of therapy. Interestingly, a decrease in HDV replication was associated with an apparent increase in HBV replication in some cases.
Kleiner
D
D
Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.
Di Bisceglie
A M
AM
Axiotis
C A
CA
Hoofnagle
J H
JH
D000328:Adult; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D003698:Hepatitis Delta Virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D035923:Hepatitis delta Antigens; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013997:Time Factors; D014779:Virus Replication
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D035923:Hepatitis delta Antigens; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C442244:hepatitis delta virus large antigen