[Efficacy of interferon-alpha therapy for HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B and its influencing factors].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the efficacy of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) therapy for HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B.


METHODS
Sixty-five Chinese HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients were treated with 5 MU recombinant rIFN-alpha 1b subcutaneously thrice weekly for 5 to 24 months, followed by 12 months of treatment-free follow-up; one hundred and eighty-eight Chinese HBeAg-positive patients served as controls. For each patient, serum alanine transaminase (ALT) was measured biochemically and serum HBV DNA level was detected with fluorescent-quantitative PCR, HBeAg with enzymoimmunoassay every 1 to 3 months during therapy and during the follow-up period. HBeAg loss (only for HBeAg-positive cases), HBV DNA undetectable, and ALT normalization: the three together were considered a combined response.


RESULTS
Rates of combined response were similar in HBeAg-negative patients (58.5%, 38/65) or HBeAg-positive ones at the end of treatment (weighted chi square test, chi2 = 1.878, P<0.05), but were higher at the end of the follow-up period in the HBeAg-negative cases (75.4%, 49/65) (weighted chi square test, chi2 = 4.796, P<0.05). Furthermore, relapse rates at the end of the follow-up period, were also similar in HBeAg-negative patients (15.8%, 6/38) or HBeAg positive (chi2 = 0.205, P>0.05). Combined response was achieved at a median of 6.0 months (2-16 months) of treatment course in HBeAg-negative patients while at a median of 6.0 months (1-22 months) in HBeAg-positive cases (Z = -0.186, P>0.05, by the Wilcoxon rank sum test). The only factor predictive of combined response, by binary logistic regression analysis, was inflammatory activity in the liver biopsy. Gender, age, baseline ALT level, baseline HBV DNA level, and anti-HBe were not predictive factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Interferon-alpha therapy induces a similar primary and sustained response in HBeAg-negative and in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients.
Mao
Qian-guo
QG
Nanfang Hospital, Nanfang Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
Luo
Kang-xiang
KX
Fu
Qun-fang
QF
Feng
Xiao-rong
XR
Guo
Ya-bing
YB
Zhu
You-fu
YF
Peng
Jie
J
Hou
Jin-jin
JJ
D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D016898:Interferon-alpha