title: Chronic hepatitis B: peginterferon or nucleos(t)ide analogues?
abstract: Pegylated interferon-α (PEG-IFN) is still an important treatment option for both HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients even with the availability of potent nucleos(t)ide analogues (NUCs) with a low risk of resistance. The major advantages of PEG-IFN-based treatment include the limited duration of treatment and the good probability of achieving a sustained off-treatment response. Responders to PEG-IFN have an increased probability of HBsAg loss and survival. However, the limited number of patients who achieve a response and the high costs and side-effects associated with PEG-IFN limit its clinical use. The potent NUCs entecavir and tenofovir are therefore often used as a first-line treatment option. Unfortunately, the off-treatment durability of response to NUCs is generally low, requiring long-term continuous therapy. Recent progress making it possible to select patients with a high probability of achieving a response to PEG-IFN, and to adapt therapy early on in probable non-responders, should help further optimize the utilization of PEG-IFN in CHB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Milan J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sonneveld
authors.forename: Harry L A
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Janssen
mesh_terms: D000225:Adenine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006147:Guanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D063065:Organophosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000068698:Tenofovir; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D063065:Organophosphonates; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C413685:entecavir; D006147:Guanine; D000068698:Tenofovir; D000225:Adenine; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a