Peginterferon Alfa-2b May Be Effective When Standard HBV Therapy Fails

[Guest guest]

Peginterferon Alfa-2b May Be Effective When Standard HBV Therapy Fails

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Dec 27 - Approximately one-third of patients with

HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B who failed previous treatment with

standard interferon (IFN) or lamivudine will respond to peginterferon

alfa-2b (Peg-IFN alfa2b), research suggests.

High serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels at the start of Peg-IFN

alfa2b therapy is the best predictor of response in these patients, note

researchers in the November American Journal of Gastroenterology.

Dr. Hajo J. Flink from Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands,

and an international team investigated the efficacy -- defined as loss of

HBeAg at the end of follow up -- of Peg-IFN alfa2b in 76 previous

non-responders to standard IFN or lamivudine. Thirty-seven had failed IFN,

17 had failed lamivudine, and 22 had failed both therapies.

All subjects received 52 weeks of Peg-IFN alfa2b (100 micrograms once

weekly) combined with either 100 milligrams lamivudine daily or placebo.

Subjects were followed for 26 weeks after the end of treatment.

Thirteen nonresponders to previous IFN (35%), 5 nonresponders to previous

lamivudine therapy (29%), and 4 nonresponders to both drugs (22%) responded

to treatment with Peg-IFN alfa2b, Dr. Flink and colleagues report.

The combination of Peg-IFN alfa2b and lamivudine did not lead to higher

response rates relative to Peg-IFN alfa2b alone for any of the previous

nonresponder groups, they note.

The best predictor of response to Peg-IFN alfa2b in previous nonresponders

was a baseline ALT of greater than 4 times the upper limit of normal.

Fifty-three percent of patients with this ALT level responded to Peg-IFN

alfa2b compared with 20% of those with lower ALT levels at the start of

treatment.

Am J Gastroenterol 2006;101:2523-2529.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/549942?src=mp

_________________________________________________________________

From photos to predictions, The MSN Entertainment Guide to Golden Globes has

it all. http://tv.msn.com/tv/globes2007/

[Guest guest]

Peginterferon Alfa-2b May Be Effective When Standard HBV Therapy Fails

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Dec 27 - Approximately one-third of patients with

HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B who failed previous treatment with

standard interferon (IFN) or lamivudine will respond to peginterferon

alfa-2b (Peg-IFN alfa2b), research suggests.

High serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels at the start of Peg-IFN

alfa2b therapy is the best predictor of response in these patients, note

researchers in the November American Journal of Gastroenterology.

Dr. Hajo J. Flink from Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands,

and an international team investigated the efficacy -- defined as loss of

HBeAg at the end of follow up -- of Peg-IFN alfa2b in 76 previous

non-responders to standard IFN or lamivudine. Thirty-seven had failed IFN,

17 had failed lamivudine, and 22 had failed both therapies.

All subjects received 52 weeks of Peg-IFN alfa2b (100 micrograms once

weekly) combined with either 100 milligrams lamivudine daily or placebo.

Subjects were followed for 26 weeks after the end of treatment.

Thirteen nonresponders to previous IFN (35%), 5 nonresponders to previous

lamivudine therapy (29%), and 4 nonresponders to both drugs (22%) responded

to treatment with Peg-IFN alfa2b, Dr. Flink and colleagues report.

The combination of Peg-IFN alfa2b and lamivudine did not lead to higher

response rates relative to Peg-IFN alfa2b alone for any of the previous

nonresponder groups, they note.

The best predictor of response to Peg-IFN alfa2b in previous nonresponders

was a baseline ALT of greater than 4 times the upper limit of normal.

Fifty-three percent of patients with this ALT level responded to Peg-IFN

alfa2b compared with 20% of those with lower ALT levels at the start of

treatment.

Am J Gastroenterol 2006;101:2523-2529.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/549942?src=mp

_________________________________________________________________

From photos to predictions, The MSN Entertainment Guide to Golden Globes has

it all. http://tv.msn.com/tv/globes2007/