title: Efficacy and tolerability of lamivudine alone versus lamivudine plus alpha-interferon for treatment of chronic active hepatitis B in patients with a precore-mutant variant.
abstract: The aim of our study was to assess the efficacy and tolerability of lamivudine alone versus lamivudine plus alpha-interferon for treatment of chronic active hepatitis B, anti-HBe positive. In all, 59 patients were randomly divided into 3 groups: A) 21 patients received lamivudine at 100 mg/daily orally for 52 weeks; B) 20 patients received lamivudine at 100 mg/die plus alpha-interferon at 6 MU subcutaneously three times weekly for 52 weeks; C) 18 patients received the same combination therapy for 40 weeks after pre-treatment with lamivudine for 12 weeks. The complete sustained response in the three groups was 33.3% vs 35.0% vs 33.3%, respectively. Our study demonstrates that in anti-HBe positive chronic hepatitis B a 12-month course of lamivudine plus a-interferon combination therapy is as beneficial as lamivudine monotherapy. Moreover, the combination therapy for 40 weeks after pre-treatment with lamivudine for 12 weeks did not increase the sustained response.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Infectious Diseases, University of Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scotto
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Palumbo
authors.forename: Vincenzina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fazio
authors.forename: Donatella Concetta
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Cibelli
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saracino
authors.forename: Gioacchino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Angarano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D019259:Lamivudine