title: Predictors of response to pegylated interferon treatment in HBeAg-negative patients with chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although pegylated interferons (pegIFNs) alpha-2a and alpha-2b have been used in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) treatment for many years, there are few studies concerning predictors of sustained virologic response (SVR) to pegIFN therapy. In this study, we aimed to investigate the predictors of response to pegIFN treatment in cases with HBeAg-negative CHB infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen tertiary care hospitals in Turkey were included in this study. Data from consecutively treated HBeAg-negative CHB patients, who received either pegIFN alpha-2a or alpha-2b, were collected retrospectively. SVR is defined as an HBV DNA concentration of less than 2,000 IU/mL six months after the completion of therapy
  
  
  RESULTS
  SVR was achieved in 40 (25%) of the 160 HBeAg-negative CHB patients. Viral loads in patients with SVR were lower compared to those with no SVR, beginning in the third month of treatment (p < 0.05). The number of cases with a decline of 1 log10 IU/mL in viral load after the first month of treatment and with a serum HBV DNA level under 2,000 IU/mL after the third month of treatment was higher in cases with SVR (p < 0.05). The number of patients who had undetectable HBV DNA levels at week 48 among responders was significantly greater than among post-treatment virological relapsers (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Detection of a 1 log10 decline in serum HBV DNA level at the first month of treatment and a serum HBV DNA level < 2000 IU/mL at the third month of therapy may be predictors of SVR.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey. ertugrulguclu@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ertugrul
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guclu
authors.forename: Nazan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tuna
authors.forename: Oguz
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Karabay
authors.forename: Sıla
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akhan
authors.forename: Hurrem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bodur
authors.forename: Bahadır
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ceylan
authors.forename: Tuna
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Demirdal
authors.forename: Kutbettin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Demirdag
authors.forename: Nese
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Demirturk
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ekerbicer
authors.forename: Serpil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erol
authors.forename: Saban
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esen
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Evirgen
authors.forename: Mehmet Faruk
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Geyik
authors.forename: Alper
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gunduz
authors.forename: Mustafa Kasım
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Karahocagil
authors.forename: Omer Faruk
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Kokoglu
authors.forename: Davut
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.forename: Nail
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ozgunes
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sargın
authors.forename: Selma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tosun
authors.forename: Ediz
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tutuncu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a