Pilot interferon-beta trial in children with chronic hepatitis B who had previously not responded to interferon-alpha therapy.
BACKGROUND
Recombinant interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) treatment is useful in 40% of children with chronic hepatitis B. However, nonresponder children continue to have viral replication and a progressive disease.


OBJECTIVE
To administer natural IFN-beta to hepatitis B virus chronic carrier children who had not responded to a previous IFN-alpha cycle.


METHODS
Twenty-two children with chronic hepatitis B, nonresponders to a previous IFN-alpha cycle, were retreated with 5 MU/m2 of body surface of natural IFN-beta, administered intramuscularly, three times per week for 24 weeks.


RESULTS
At the end of treatment, 9 (41%) of 22 children became hepatitis B virus DNA negative. Hepatitis B e antibodies (anti-HBe) developed in 5 of these children, and 6 had normal alanine aminotransferase values. At the end of the posttreatment follow-up (21 months from the beginning of the study), 10 (45%) of 22 children were viral DNA negative, 7 (32%) of 22 were anti-HBe positive (none of them had viral DNA in serum), and 11 (50%) of 22 had normal alanine aminotransferase levels (10 without detectable viral DNA and 7 anti-HBe positive).


CONCLUSIONS
IFN-beta seems to be an effective retreatment therapy for children with chronic hepatitis B who are nonresponders to a first IFN-alpha cycle; however, a controlled study should be performed to confirm these results.
Ruíz-Moreno
M
M
Department of Pediatrics, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain.
Fernández
P
P
Leal
A
A
Bartolomé
J
J
Castillo
I
I
Oliva
H
H
Carreño
V
V
D000293:Adolescent; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000628:therapy*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017211:Treatment Failure
D004279:DNA, Viral; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D016899:Interferon-beta; D000410:Alanine Transaminase