48 weeks pegylated interferon alpha-2a is superior to 24 weeks of pegylated inte

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Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics

Volume 23 Page 1171 - April 2006

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2036.2006.02887.x

Volume 23 Issue 8

48 weeks pegylated interferon alpha-2a is superior to 24 weeks of pegylated

interferon alpha-2b in achieving hepatitis B e antigen seroconversion in

chronic hepatitis B infection

C.-K. HUI*,†,‡, L. S. W. LAI§, P. LAM¶, H.-Y. ZHANG*,†, T.-T. FUNG**, S.-T.

LAI††, W.-M. WONG‡‡, C.-M. LO†,§§, S.-T. FAN†,§§, N. LEUNG¶¶ & G. K. K.

LAU*,†,‡ FOR THE HONG KONG LIVER FIBROSIS STUDY GROUP

Summary

Background/aim Although 48-week therapy with pegylated-interferons has been

shown to be effective for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus

infection, the efficacy of a shorter duration of therapy with pegylated

interferons is unknown.

Method We reviewed 53 hepatitis B e antigen positive Chinese patients

treated with 48 weeks of pegylated interferon alpha-2a or 24 weeks of

pegylated interferon alpha-2b. Sustained virological response was defined as

hepatitis B e antigen seroconversion and hepatitis B virus DNA <105

copies/mL at week 72.

Results Twenty-nine patients were treated with 48 weeks of

pegylated-interferon-alpha-2a and 24 patients with 24 weeks of

pegylated-interferon-alpha-2b. At the end-of-therapy, hepatitis B e antigen

seroconversion and hepatitis B virus DNA <105 copies/mL were similar between

the two groups of patients [9/29 (31.0%) vs. 2/24 (8.3%), respectively, P =

0.09]. At week 72, 10 of the 29 patients (34.5%) treated with 48 weeks of

pegylated-interferon-alpha-2a compared with two of the 24 patients (8.3%)

treated with 24 weeks of pegylated-interferon-alpha-2b had sustained

virological response (P = 0.04). By logistic analysis, 48 weeks of

pegylated-interferon-alpha-2a was independently associated with sustained

virological response (P = 0.04 adjusted hazards-ratio 9.37).

Conclusion Further studies are required to determine the optimal duration of

therapy with pegylated interferons in chronic hepatitis B.

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