title: Peginterferon and Chinese herbs exert a combinatorial effect in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Traditional Chinese herbs are widely used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in China. The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing peginterferon therapies with peginterferon plus Chinese herbal therapies in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive CHB patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The main biomedical databases were searched to identify RCTs that compared the efficiency of peginterferon with peginterferon plus Chinese herbs in CHB patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The literature search yielded 616 studies, and 8 RCTs (624 patients) matched the selection criteria. Combined therapies of peginterferon plus Chinese herbal therapies were superior to peginterferon therapies alone in achieving the serum HBV DNA clearance rate (64.5% vs. 45.0%), serum HBeAg clearance rate (47.4% vs. 33.5%), and HBeAg seroconversion rates (39.2% vs. 23.1%) at the end of treatment. Combined therapies were more effective than peginterferon alone therapies in the improvement of liver fibrosis related biomarkers, including hyaluronic acid, procollagen type III, type IV collagen, and lamina. Combined therapies also resulted in fewer relapses, fewer adverse events, and more rapid alanine transaminase normalization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current evidence suggests that peginterferon plus Chinese herbal therapies were associated with higher virological response than peginterferon alone in HBeAg-positive CHB patients.
authors.affiliation: Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shaanxi, China. 503872488@qq.com.
authors.forename: Yingfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Shoucui
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Daxin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Xiaojing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Enqi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yonglie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Sihai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D010936:Plant Extracts