title: Efficacy of interferon alpha-2b and lamivudine therapy for chronic hepatitis B in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of interferon (IFN) alpha-2b and lamivudine therapy in children with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten children who developed chronic hepatitis B infection received IFN alpha-2b 10 million international units (IU)/m(2) body surface area, subcutaneously three times a week for six months. IFN + lamivudine therapy began to be used in the cases who were unresponsive to IFN treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 27 HBsAg (+) subjects in this study, interferon treatment was given to 11 subjects who developed chronic hepatitis. One case was excluded from the study due to detection of Herpes type 1 encephalitis. At the end of six months of follow-up, complete response was obtained in three (30%) patients and partial response in four (40%) patients, whereas no response was detected in three (30%) patients. Fifty percent of the cases experienced serological response, 70% biochemical response, and all (100%) had histological response. In three cases started concomitant IFN + lamivudine therapy, HBV-DNA became negative at the second month of treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IFN-alpha and lamivudine can be used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B infection in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, GMMA Haydarpa sa Training Hospital, Kadiköy, Istanbul 81327, Turkey. Arbahar@Hotmail.com
authors.forename: Arif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bahar
authors.forename: Selim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iscan
authors.forename: Ferhan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Karademir
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gocmen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019259:Lamivudine