title: Long-term follow-up of patients with chronic hepatitis B after interferon treatment.
abstract: We investigated the long-term effect of interferon-alpha treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B with regard to the response status during treatment. 97 patients with chronic hepatitis B, including 18 patients with active cirrhosis Child A, were followed for 12-110 months (mean: 40.5 months) after interferon-alpha treatment. At the end of treatment complete response with loss of HBeAg and HBV-DNA was observed in 32 patients, partial response with loss of HBV-DNA in 30 patients and non-response with persistence of HBeAg and HBV-DNA in 35 patients. Overall, delayed virological improvement was observed in 43% of the 97 patients during follow-up. Delayed clearance of HBsAg occurred more frequently in complete responders (25%) than in partial responders (13%, P = n. s.) and non-responders (3% p = 0.0217). 39% of the partial and non-responders lost HBeAg during the follow-up period. HBsAg and HBeAg clearance rates were increased in female patients compared to males (HBsAg: 21% vs. 12%, p = n. s.; HBeAg: 47% vs. 32%, p = 0.0045). Reactivation of the disease was seen in 28% of the complete responders. In the 18 patients with active cirrhosis, short- and long-term response rates were impaired. Only, 4/18 patients had a complete response during treatment and two of these patients suffered reactivation during follow-up. One patient underwent liver transplantation and five patients died due to complications of cirrhosis. Thus, in patients without apparent cirrhosis interferon-alpha treatment has a considerable long-term effect with regard to the enhanced rate of HBsAg and HBeAg clearance during prolonged follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine I, Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Teuber
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Dienes
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Meyer Zum Büschenfelde
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gerken
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins