title: Long-term efficacy of interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection in Japan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies have investigated the long-term effects of interferon (IFN) therapy for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). In this retrospective study, we investigated the efficacy of and predictors of response to IFN therapy in CHB patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data for 615 Japanese CHB patients (hepatitis B e antigen [HBeAg]-positive 414, HBeAg-negative 201) treated with IFN, and conducted follow up for a median duration of 8.1 years (range 0.5-23.2). Responders were defined as patients who showed continuously normalized alanine transaminase (ALT) levels, HBeAg clearance, and low hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels at 6 months post-treatment or for a span of more than 6 months until each test point at 1, 3, 5, and 10 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The IFN response rates of all patients were 21, 18, 21, 23, and 25% at 6 months and 1, 3, 5, and 10 years, respectively. On multivariate analysis, significant determinants of the outcome of IFN therapy were as follows: at 6 months and 1 year, young age, low HBV DNA levels, and long duration of treatment; at 3 years, long duration of treatment, young age, and high level of albumin; at 5 years, high level of albumin, female, and pretreated with IFN; and at 10 years, HBeAg-negative. Sixty-nine of the 615 patients (11%) achieved seroclearance of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). On multivariate analysis, age ≥30 years, HBV genotype A, and male were all independent factors predicting the achievement of HBsAg seroclearance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HBeAg, HBV DNA level, age, sex, albumin, duration of treatment, pretreatment with IFN, and HBV genotype were important factors in determining long-term response to IFN therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital, 2-2-2 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8470, Japan. fumitakas@toranomon.gr.jp
authors.forename: Fumitaka
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Yasuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arase
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akuta
authors.forename: Hitomi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sezaki
authors.forename: Yuya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Seko
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hosaka
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Hiromitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kumada
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004279:DNA, Viral; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D016899:Interferon-beta