TREATMENT OF CHRONIC HEPATITIS-B IN CHILD REN WITH MODERATE DOSES OF ALPHA-INTERFERON

Aim. - The alpha interferon treatment criteria have not been establish ed in children with chronic hepatitis B. We report the results of a pr ospective study.Methods. - Between 1988-1992 14 children (2 girls and 12 boys) with chronic hepatitis B received 3 million U/m(2) of interfe ron alpha three times a week for 6 months. All patients underwent a li ver biopsy that showed a pattern of chronic active hepatitis. One pati ent had cirrhosis. Hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis Be antigen a nd hepatitis B virus DNA had been positive in the serum in all for at least 6 months and anti-delta antibodies were negative in all. Pretrea tment aminotransferase levels were at least 1,5 times the upper limit of normal. Results. - After treatment patients were followed up for at least one year (mean: 21,5 +/- 8,3 months). At the end of treatment H EY DNA was negative in 13 out of 14 patients and reappeared in one; HB eAg seroconversion was observed in 11 patients with the appearance of anti-HBe antibodies. Six patients lost the HBs antigen within 1 to 14 months after treatment. Anti-HBs antibodies did not appear in any pati ents and aminotransferase level normalized in 13 patients. Thirteen pa tients underwent liver biopsy after treatment which showed improvement in 12. Conclusions. - Treatment with alpha interferon at doses of 3 M U/m(2) is effective in children with active hepatitis B. Long-term fol low up is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of this therapy.