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

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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

Authors: HUI, C.-K.; LAI, L. S. W.1; LAM, P.2; ZHANG, H.-Y.; FUNG, T.-T.3;

LAI, S.-T.4; WONG, W.-M.5; LO, C.-M.; FAN, S.-T.; LEUNG, N.6; LAU, G. K. K.

Source: Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Volume 23, Number 8, April

2006, pp. 1171-1178(8)

Publisher:Blackwell Publishing

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Abstract:

Summary Background/aim & #8194;

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 & #8194;

We reviewed 53 hepatitis B e antigen positive Chinese patients treated with

48 & #8201;weeks of pegylated interferon alpha-2a or 24 & #8201;weeks of

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

hepatitis B e antigen seroconversion and hepatitis B virus DNA

<105 & #8201;copies/mL at week 72. Results & #8194;

Twenty-nine patients were treated with 48 & #8201;weeks of

pegylated-interferon-alpha-2a and 24 patients with 24 & #8201;weeks of

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

seroconversion and hepatitis B virus DNA <105 & #8201;copies/mL were similar

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

respectively, P & #8201;= 0.09]. At week 72, 10 of the 29 patients (34.5%)

treated with 48 & #8201;weeks of pegylated-interferon-alpha-2a compared with

two of the 24 patients (8.3%) treated with 24 & #8201;weeks of

pegylated-interferon-alpha-2b had sustained virological response

(P & #8201;= & #8201;0.04). By logistic analysis, 48 & #8201;weeks of

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

virological response (P & #8201;= & #8201;0.04 adjusted hazards-ratio 9.37).

Conclusion & #8194;

Further studies are required to determine the optimal duration of therapy

with pegylated interferons in chronic hepatitis B.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2006.02887.x

Affiliations: 1: Department of Medicine, Caritas Medical Centre, Hong Kong

SAR, China 2: Department of Pathology, Queen Hospital, The

University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China 3: Department of Medicine,

Kwong Wah Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China 4: Department of Medicine, Princess

Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China 5: St 's Hospital, Hong Kong

SAR, China 6: Department of Medicine, Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital,

Hong Kong SAR, China

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