title: Sustained immune control in HBeAg-positive patients who switched from entecavir therapy to pegylated interferon-α2a: 1 year follow-up of the OSST study.
abstract: In the OSST study, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic hepatitis B patients who switched from long-term entecavir (ETV) therapy to pegylated interferon-α2a (PEG-IFN-α2a; 40 kDa) achieved higher rates of HBeAg seroconversion and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss than those who continued ETV. Herein we report the sustainability of serological responses during 1 year of untreated follow-up in patients who switched from ETV to PEG-IFN-α2a therapy.
  
  
  
  A total of 62 patients who completed 48 weeks of PEG-IFN-α2a therapy were followed-up for 48 weeks off treatment. Primary end points were HBeAg seroconversion and maintenance of HBeAg seroconversion at 48 weeks post-treatment. Secondary end points included HBsAg loss, HBV DNA <1,000 copies/ml and alanine aminotransferase normalization (<1× upper limit of normal).
  
  
  
  The HBeAg seroconversion rate increased from 17.7% (11/62) at the end of treatment to 38.7% (24/62) 1 year post-treatment. Sustained HBeAg seroconversion was achieved by 63.6% (7/11) patients with end-of-treatment responses, while late HBeAg seroconversion was achieved by 33.3% (17/51) of patients who did not have end-of-treatment responses. Sustained HBsAg loss was documented in 6 of 7 patients, and sustained HBV DNA suppression was achieved in 60% (27/45) of patients with an end-of-treatment response.
  
  
  
  In patients who do not achieve HBeAg seroconversion during long-term ETV therapy, switching to finite treatment with PEG-IFN-α2a produces HBeAg seroconversion in a substantial proportion of patients at end of treatment and during 1 year of follow-up. Moreover, HBeAg seroconversion and HBsAg loss are sustained in most patients during 1 year of untreated follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Meifang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Jiaji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jinlin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Deming
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Yongtao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Mianzhi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ning
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006147:Guanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C413685:entecavir; D006147:Guanine; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a