title: Predictors of response to pegylated interferon in chronic hepatitis B: a real-world hospital-based analysis.
abstract: Information on the efficacy of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and predictors of the response based on real-world data is limited. Consecutive 201 patients who underwent PEG-IFN treatment for CHB were reviewed. A virological response (VR) was defined as a serum HBV DNA of <2000 IU/mL, and a combined response (CR) was defined a VR accompanied by serological response for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive CHB. For HBeAg-positive CHB patients, the HBeAg seroconversion rate and CR rate were 30.5% and 21.2% at 48 weeks after end of treatment (EOT), respectively. Baseline alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level was associated with HBeAg seroconversion, while baseline hepatitis B s antigen (HBsAg) levels of <250 IU/mL and HBV DNA <2.5 × 10(7) IU/mL were strongly associated with sustained off-treatment CR. For HBeAg-negative CHB, the VR rates were 85.5%, and 27.7% at EOT, and 48 weeks after EOT, respectively; a baseline HBsAg <1,250 IU/mL was associated with sustained off-treatment VR. PEG-IFN treatment has durable HBeAg seroconversion in HBeAg-positive CHB, but results in a high risk of relapse among HBeAg-negative CHB patients. Pre-treatment HBsAg level is an important predictor of VR in CHB patients undergoing PEG-IFN treatment.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yin-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Liver Center, Cathay General Hospital Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Sien-Sing
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chien-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Health Care Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yuan-Jen
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kuei-Chuan
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|Institute of Pharmacology, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Teh-Ia
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Huo
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Han-Chieh
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Hsiang
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a