title: [Clinical observations of sequential interferon therapy following complete response to telbivudine treatment in chronic hepatitis B patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the therapeutic benefit of sequential interferon alpha-1b (IFNa-1b) in patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who showed early complete response to telbivudine (LdT) treatment, and to explore the clinical value of serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) for predicting sustained virological response (SVR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty HBeAg+ CHB patients who had shown a complete response to LdT therapy before treatment week 52 were divided into two treatment groups: one continued on the LdT treatment for an additional 6 months, and the other switched to IFNa-1b for 6 months. Each patient presented for follow-up examinations at 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months after treatment cessation. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and creatinine were detected by an automated biochemical analyzer. HBV DNA load was determined by real-time PCR. HBsAg and HBeAg levels were assessed by chemiluminescence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The relapse rate was lower in the group treated with sequential IFN than in the group who continued LdT treatment (30% vs. 40%, P more than 0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve at week 24 (0.689) was significantly higher than at week 12 and week 48 (0.652 vs. 0.545, P less than 0.05). Decline in serum HBsAg levels at week 24 were predictive of SVR after treatment cessation. Patients showing a decrease more than 1000 IU/ml in serum HBsAg levels at week 24 had a significantly higher SVR rate than the patients who showed a decrease less than 1000 IU/ ml (90.9%(10/11) vs. 33.3%(3/9), P less than 0.05). At the end of treatment, patients showing a decrease less than 200 IU/ml of serum HBsAg levels had a significantly higher SVR rate than those showing more than 200 IU/ml (100% vs. 53.3%, P less than 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sequential IFNa-1b consolidation therapy does not reduce the rate of relapse after treatment cessation. However, patients with a decrease in serum HBsAg levels of more than 1000 IU/ml at treatment week 24 are more likely to achieve SVR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Kumar Karn
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Sandeep
authors.forename: Qiong-fang
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shu-hua
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Da-zhi
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D000077712:Telbivudine; D013936:Thymidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D000077712:Telbivudine; D013936:Thymidine