Natural human interferon alpha given orally has different effects on patients with distinct forms of chronic viral hepatitis B.
During therapy of chronic viral hepatitis B (CVHB), some patients treated with natural human interferon alpha (nHuIFN-alpha) lozenges failed to respond. These observations triggered studies aimed to determine whether there are markers predicting patients' response to therapy with nHuIFN-alpha lozenges. In these studies, 32 patients with CVHB were involved: 20 males and 12 females, 16-61 years of age with proven persistent hepatitis B viremia (HBV). Patients were evaluated for clinical, biochemical liver function, and virological markers of disease. During 300 days of treatment of the patients received 75-150 IU nHuIFN-alpha daily in form of lozenges. The responders to oral interferon therapy were those who had initially alanine amino transferase (ALAT) level higher than 100 IU (85.7% cure rate) and weak responses were observed among patients who had an initial ALAT level below 100 IU (9.0% response rate). Therefore, ALAT test in patients with CVHB may serve as a predicting indicator of the outcome of IFN lozenges therapy.
Georgiades Foundation for Therapy of Chronic Disease, Stafford, TX 77477, USA.
J A
JA
Georgiades
J
J
Caban
T
T
Zyrkowska-Bieda
M
M
Zejc
U
U
Jonas-Skulina
A
A
Cieśla
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000628:therapy*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D016898:Interferon-alpha