TREATMENT OF CHRONIC HEPATITIS-B (HBEAG-HBV DNA-POSITIVE) WITH LYMPHOBLASTOID ALPHA-INTERFERON WITH OR WITHOUT CORTICOSTEROIDS - SHORT-TERMAND LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP

Efficacy and safety of therapy with lymphoblastoid interferon-alpha al one or combined with deflazacort has been investigated in 38 HBsAg-HBe Ag+ patients with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis, Group I received 5M U/m(2) interferon thrice a week for 26 weeks; group II took interferon for 26 weeks simultaneously with a 6-week course of deflazacort, Foll ow-up was 18-72 months (median 42), After 12 months, responses were ac hieved in 3 (18%) out of 17 patients on interferon alone vs 5 (26%, p> 0.05) out of 19 on combined therapy, Blind histological assessment rev ealed no improvement in either group or in patients who responded to t herapy within the first year of follow-up (''early responders''). ''De layed'' responses were observed in 4 (29%) patients who took interfero n alone vs 5 (36%, p>0.05) who took the combined therapy, Serum HBV DN A levels decreased significantly during treatment and remained low up to 24 and 36 months of follow-up in both groups, One early responder d eveloped hepatocellular carcinoma, another had exacerbation of liver d isease in long-term follow-up, No non-responders developed liver failu re or hepatocellular carcinoma. These results indicate that lymphoblas toid interferon-alpha inhibits HBV replication and corticosteroids hav e no synergistic effect in treatment of HBsAg-HBeAg+ chronic hepatitis .