Treatment results of chronic hepatitis B in children: a retrospective study.
In this retrospective study, we aimed to share our experience with different treatment modalities for chronic hepatitis B in a series of children. The study included 126 children (mean: 9.5 +/- 3.8 years). Normalization of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), loss of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), and development of antibody to HBeAg (anti-HBe) altogether at the end of the treatment was considered as end of therapy response (ETR). Seroconversion ongoing one year after the cessation of therapy was considered as sustained response. Of the total children, 90 (71.4%) were treated, whereas the remaining were just followed-up. High-dose interferon (IFN)-alpha (10 MU/m2) alone, standard-dose IFN-alpha (6 MU/m2) plus lamivudine (4 mg/kg/d), high-dose IFN-alpha plus lamivudine, or lamivudine alone was used, IFN-alpha thrice weekly for six months, and lamivudine daily for one year. Of children who had completed their treatment, 34 (37.8%) achieved ETR. Sustained response rate was 36.7%. Response rates were different in the different treatment groups (p: 0.01). The highest response rate was observed in those who received standard-dose IFN-alpha plus lamivudine treatment (61.5%). Of children without treatment, one (2.8%) had anti-HBe seroconversion. Standard-dose IFN-alpha plus lamivudine treatment was found superior to the other treatment modalities. Predictors of ETR were similar to those found in previous studies.
Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Inönü University Faculty of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey.
Mukadder Ayşe
MA
Selimoğlu
Vildan
V
Ertekin
Hamza
H
Karabiber
Ahmet
A
Turgut
Nesrin
N
Gürsan
D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D019259:Lamivudine