title: Treatment of HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B with pegylated interferon.
abstract: Serum HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B, which is usually a late stage of chronic hepatitis B virus infection, is difficult to treat, because it is characterized by fluctuating alanine transaminase values resulting in hepatitis flares, accelerated progression to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Antiviral treatment, either long-term nucleot(s)ide therapy or 1-year administration of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN), is therefore necessary to limit the course of the disease. A sustained virological response to PEG-IFN is achieved in approximately 1/4 of the patients, with significant rates of HBsAg seroclearance. While waiting for the results of several studies whose goal is to improve the long-term efficacy of PEG-IFN, the treatment strategy can be optimized by a careful selection of patients, discontinuation of PEG-IFN as early as possible in primary non-responders and extended therapy (up to 96 weeks) in responders.
authors.affiliation: AM and A Migliavacca Center for Liver Disease, 1st Gastroenterology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy. pietro.lampertico@unimi.it
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lampertico
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Viganò
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Colombo
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; 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*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a