title: A meta-analysis of interferon-alpha treatment of hepatitis D virus infection.
abstract: The severity of chronic hepatitis D infection and its unfavorable progress necessiate research into drugs and protocols capable of changing the natural history of the disease. Over the last few years interferon (IFN)-alpha has been the drug of choice in the management of this infection. We assessed its long-term efficacy by analyzing 5 controlled and 10 uncontrolled trials conducted between 1987 and 1994. The Mantel-Haenszel-Peto method was used in the former to perform statistical analysis. The odds ratio (0.16, confidence interval 0.058-0.476) confirmed the efficacy of IFN-alpha, even if the coefficient was not significant because of the limited number of spontaneous remissions in the trials. Although IFN treatment is fully beneficial in only a small number of patients with chronic hepatitis D infection, at present it is the only available agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, University of Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malaguarnera
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Restuccia
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pistone
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ruello
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Giugno
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Trovato
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha