title: The Efficacy and Safety of Peginterferon-α-2a in Korean Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B: A Multicenter Study Conducted in a Real Clinical Setting.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Genotype C is the principal type of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in Koreans and is associated with poor prognosis for peginterferon α-2a therapy. The efficacy of and compliance to peginterferon α-2a therapy were investigated in Koreans with hepatitis B in a real clinical setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hepatitis B patients treated with peginterferon α-2a from 2008 to 2011 at four university hospitals were consecutively enrolled.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-eight patients were enrolled; 67 were hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive. The mean treatment period was 36.1±15.2 weeks. In 26.1% of patients, treatment was discontinued due to insufficient antiviral effects and adverse events. At 24 weeks after treatment, 10/42 (23.8%) HBeAg-positive patients achieved both HBV DNA suppression to <2,000 IU/mL and HBeAg loss/seroconversion. For HBeAg-negative patients, 10/13 (76.9%) achieved HBV DNA suppression to <2,000 IU/mL at 24 weeks after treatment. During the follow-up period, 15 (30.6%) of the 49 patients who achieved HBV DNA suppression to 2,000 IU/mL developed a breakthrough HBV DNA level of >2×10(6) IU/mL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Peginterferon α-2a therapy in Koreans with hepatitis B in a real clinical setting resulted in a lower virologic response, as compared to Western individuals, but a favorable durability. There is a need to reduce the high rate of premature discontinuation compared to the controlled studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Young Seok
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Gyune
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jeong Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Tae Hun
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Kul
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Oh Sang
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Kwon
keywords: Asian continental ancestry group; Chronic hepatitis B; Peginterferon
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