title: [Interferon in hepatitis B].
abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a worldwide public health problem. There are an estimated 350 million persons with chronic HBV infection that could progress to cirrhosis and hepatocarcinoma with nearly one million deaths per year. In the last few years the therapeutic options in chronic hepatitis B have increased and currently six treatments are authorized: standard interferon (IFN)-alpha, pegylated interferon-alpha (PEG-IFNalpha), lamivudine, adefovir, entecavir, and telbivudine. For the last 25 years, conventional IFNalpha has been used as the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and currently PEG-IFNalpha is indicated due to its greater effectiveness. Both drugs are first line options for HBeAg(+) and HBeAg(-) CHB. The advantages of IFNalpha and PEG-IFNalpha are that these drugs are administered for a limited time period, they achieve a higher sustained response rate and do not induce HBV mutants with antiviral resistance. These drugs achieve greater HBeAG and HBsAG clearance due to their antiviral and immunomodulatory activity. PEG-IFNalpha induces sustained biochemical and virological response in approximately one third of patients with HBeAg(+) CHB. The best response to IFNalpha and PEG-IFNalpha is obtained in patients with elevated transaminase levels, moderate viral load and HBV genotypes A and B. The disadvantages of IFNalpha and PEG-IFNalpha are their adverse effects and contraindications. These drugs cannot be administered in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. The combination of nucleos(t)ide analogs with PEG-IFNalpha could achieve much higher sustained response rates; however, which treatment constitutes the most suitable therapeutic strategy requires investigation.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Unidad de Hepatología, Hospital Universitario de la Princesa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, España. lgarciabuey@medynet.com
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: García Buey
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: González Mateos
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moreno Otero
mesh_terms: D000225:Adenine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005838:Genotype; D006147:Guanine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009705:Nucleosides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D063065:Organophosphonates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011744:Pyrimidinones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000077712:Telbivudine; D013936:Thymidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D009705:Nucleosides; D063065:Organophosphonates; D011744:Pyrimidinones; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000077712:Telbivudine; D019259:Lamivudine; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C413685:entecavir; D006147:Guanine; C053001:adefovir; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; D000225:Adenine; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a; D013936:Thymidine