title: Responsiveness to interferon alpha in chronic hepatitis B by presumed vertical transmission.
abstract: This study was to evaluate responsiveness to IFN-alpha and investigate the benefits of sustained response (SR) in patients who were presumed as being vertically transmitted in Korea. A total of 46 patients of presumed vertical transmission with biopsy-proven HBeAg-positive chronic HBV infection were treated with IFN-alpha and followed. We tried to find the factors associated with SR and compared the cumulative rate of HCC and survival between SR group and non-sustained/non-responder (NSR) group. HBeAg loss was acquired in 35% (16/46) within a year but SR was observed in 22% (10/46). Age <35 years and ALT levels >7xULN were significant favorable factors for SR (OR 0.56, 0.49, 95%CI 0.38-0.82, 0.29-0.81, respectively) (both P<0.05). There were no significant differences of cumulative HCC-free survival (100 vs. 68% at 12 years, P=0.36) and survival (100 vs. 73% at 12 years, P=0.3) between SR group and NSR group. In conclusion, age below 35 years old and serum ALT levels above 7xULN may predict IFN-alpha therapy-induced SR among them, although we cannot affirm the effects on HCC prevention or survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University Medical Center, College of Medicine, Seoul 134-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Myoung Kuk
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Dae Ro
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Ja Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Han Kook
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Jun Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Seong Man
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyung Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Joon Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jin Heon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hak Yang
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dong Joon
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Myung Seok
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Choong Kee
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jae Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Yoo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D000410:Alanine Transaminase