title: [Side effects after treatment with a-interferon in children with chronic viral hepatitis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper aimed at a long-term observation on side effects of alpha- IFN treatment in children with chronic viral hepatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized trial of 261 alpha-IFN treated chronic hepatitis children (183 with hepatitis B, 78 with hepatitis C) in comparison with 114 adults was carried out to observe side effect of alpha-IFN treatment 5-6 years in average and 10 years the longest. Mean age of children was 8.7 years, with 203 males and 58 females.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Early stage side effects were low to moderate fever and endemic influenza symptoms, which in children were more less than in adults (P < 0.001). Side effects did not relate to viral pathogeny (HB or HC) and pathological changes (< or = G2, > or = G3) in child patient. Slightly poor appetite, slight hair loss, rash and tinnitus would disappear gradually needed no treatment. Serum Bil, Bun, Cr, T3, T4 and TSH were normal in all patients. There was no long-term side effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  alpha-IFN treatment for viral hepatitis in children is safe.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Hepatic Disease, the 302nd Hospital of PLA, Beijing 100039, China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha