title: Presence of anti-interferon antibodies is not associated with non-response to pegylated interferon treatment in chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several factors have been related to response to pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The occurrence of anti-IFN antibodies is associated with non-response to PEG-IFN in chronic hepatitis C. This study investigated the association between anti-IFN antibodies and response to PEG-IFN in CHB.
  
  
  METHODS
  Presence of anti-IFN antibodies was assessed at baseline and at 3 and 6 months post-treatment in 323 CHB patients treated with PEG-IFN for 1 year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, anti-IFN antibodies were detected in 112 (35%) patients. Prevalence was higher in HBeAg-negative compared to HBeAg-positive CHB (43% versus 31%, respectively; P=0.03). Detection of anti-IFN antibodies was not associated with age, sex or HBV genotype. Presence of anti-IFN antibodies at baseline was associated with previous IFN therapy failure (P=0.04), which remained after adjustment for HBeAg status (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1, 3.7; P=0.03). Presence of anti-IFN antibodies at baseline was not associated with response, nor with HBV DNA or HBsAg decline (all P-values>0.3). Overall, 56 of 211 (27%) patients without anti-IFN at baseline developed anti-IFN antibodies after PEG-IFN treatment. Response rates did not differ between patients who developed anti-IFN antibodies and patients who did not develop anti-IFN antibodies during treatment (P=0.1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anti-IFN antibodies may frequently be detected in CHB patients, and presence is associated with previous IFN therapy. However, presence or development of anti-IFN antibodies after PEG-IFN therapy is not associated with non-response to PEG-IFN treatment in CHB. There appears to be no future role for anti-IFN antibodies in predicting response to PEG-IFN in CHB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arends
authors.forename: Annemiek A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: van der Eijk
authors.forename: Milan J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sonneveld
authors.forename: Bettina E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Harry L A
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: Bart L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Haagmans
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D007372:Interferons