title: Predictive value of aminotransferase and hepatitis B virus DNA levels on response to interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: In a previously reported randomized controlled trial of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) for chronic hepatitis B, we found a significant difference in response between Chinese adults with elevated vs normal pretreatment aminotransferase (ALT) levels. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels and response to IFN therapy. HBV DNA levels in residual stored sera from patients who participated in the above trial were quantified by a branched DNA (bDNA) assay. Nominal logistic regression was used to estimate the probability of response to IFN treatment as a function of pretreatment ALT and/or HBV DNA levels. We found a significant (P < 0.01) correlation between the HBV DNA levels at midtreatment and response to IFN therapy. Response was achieved in 53% of patients who had undetectable HBV DNA levels at midtreatment but in only 17% of those who remained HBV DNA positive (P < 0.01). In contrast, the probabilities of response for patients with baseline HBV DNA levels over the range 10 to 10000 million equivalents (MEq) ml-1 were almost identical. We also found a significant correlation between the pretreatment ALT levels and response to IFN therapy. The probabilities of response for patients with pretreatment ALT levels of 500 and 100 IU l-1 were higher than for patients with normal ALT levels by two and onefold, respectively. Our findings may help to improve the cost-effectiveness of IFN therapy for chronic hepatitis B by guiding the selection of patients for therapy and in optimizing the duration of treatment for the individual patient.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Lok
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ghany
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ayola
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000410:Alanine Transaminase