Interferon-alpha therapy in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B: a long-term prospective study from north-western Greece.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the long-term response to interferon-alpha therapy in patients with hepatitis B e antigen-negative chronic hepatitis B, and the factors independently associated with response and survival.


METHODS
Sixty-three patients with documented hepatitis B e antigen-negative chronic hepatitis B treated with interferon-alpha for a year were followed-up for a period of 6 years.


RESULTS
Sustained biochemical and virological response was seen in 34.91% and 33.33% of patients at 6 and 12 months of follow-up, respectively, and histological improvement in 54.5% of sustained responders compared with non-responders (7.1%, P = 0.004, chi-squared test), at 6 months of follow-up. Multivariate analysis showed that patients with hepatitis B virus-DNA levels at 6 months of treatment <10,000 copies/mL had a low probability of relapse, compared with those with levels >10 000 copies/mL (P = 0.032). Age (>65 years) and hepatitis B virus-DNA level at 6 months of treatment (>10,000 copies/mL) were the independent factors for disease progression and survival (P = 0.041 and P = 0.044 respectively). At 6 years, a sustained response was still present in 19.04% of patients and 4.8% of them had developed anti-HBs.


CONCLUSIONS
Hepatitis B virus-DNA monitoring by quantitative polymerase chain reaction at 6 months of treatment may allow for early prediction of response to interferon-alpha, and may serve as an indicator of disease progression in the future.
Baltayiannis
G
G
First Division of Internal Medicine, and Hepatogastroenterology Unit, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.
Katsanos
K
K
Karayiannis
P
P
Tsianos
E V
EV
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D016898:Interferon-alpha