A pilot study of extended duration peginterferon alfa-2a for patients with hepatitis B e antigen-negative chronic hepatitis B.
OBJECTIVE
Forty-eight weeks of peginterferon alfa-2a is the approved regimen for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Standard interferon is more effective for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative CHB when given for longer than 1 yr. This study evaluated peginterferon alfa-2a for 60 wk, alone or in combination with lamivudine.


METHODS
Thirteen patients with HBeAg-negative CHB received peginterferon alfa-2a (180 microg/week) for 60 wk or peginterferon alfa-2a (180 microg/week) for 12 wk followed by 48 wk of peginterferon alfa-2a plus lamivudine. The primary end point, sustained virologic response (SVR), was defined as a reduction in hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid (HBV DNA) of >or=2 log10 copies/mL and HBV DNA<20,000 copies/mL at 24 wk of follow-up (week 84). Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) concentrations were analyzed and compared to changes in HBV DNA.


RESULTS
SVR was achieved by 9/13 patients (69%). At week 84, HBV DNA was undetectable by polymerase chain reaction in 5/13 (38%) patients, and 3 additional patients had a sustained 2-3 log reduction in HBV DNA. Five patients demonstrated a >90% decrease in HBsAg concentration at week 60, including 3 with undetectable HBV DNA at week 84 and a fourth who met criteria for SVR.


CONCLUSIONS
Sixty weeks of peginterferon alfa-2a with or without lamivudine resulted in a higher rate of SVR compared to historical controls with HBeAg-negative CHB treated with 48 wk of pegylated interferon. Larger studies are necessary to assess if longer duration therapy is more effective than the standard regimen and results in a greater decline in HBsAg concentration.
Division of Hepatology and Complex Gastroenterology, California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA.
Robert G
RG
Gish
Daryl T-Y
DT
Lau
Peter
P
Schmid
Robert
R
Perrillo
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; 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 / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019259:Lamivudine; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a