Twelve-month interferon-alpha therapy induces a similar sustained responsein anti-HBe-positive and HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients

Background/Aims: We compared the response to interferon-alpha 2a in 35 pati ents with antibody to HBeAg (anti-HBe) and 20 patients with HBeAg in serum, and histological features of chronic hepatitis B. Methodology: Patients were treated with 4.5-6 MU of interferon-alpha 2a, th ree times a week for 12 months, and followed for 30.8+/-13.5 additional mon ths. Results: All of them had elevated serum levels of aminotransferases and pos itive test for hepatitis B virus-DNA in serum. Patients with anti-HBe-posit ive chronic hepatitis were older and had higher serum aminotransferase leve ls than HBeAg-positive patients, but no differences were seen between both groups with respect to sex, history of acute hepatitis, mode of transmissio n of the infection or histological appearance before interferon therapy. Se rum levels of alanine transaminase became normal and hepatitis B virus-DNA undetectable by PCR at the end of therapy in 25 (71%) of anti-HBe-positive patients and in 10 (50%) of HBeAg-positive patients (P>0.05). Although 10 ( 29%) of the anti-HBe-positive and none of the HBeAg-positive patients relap sed, no significant difference was seen in the rate of sustained response ( 43% vs. 50%, respectively). The histological improvement was similar in bot h groups. Conclusions: The results of this study indicated that biochemical, virologi cal and histological response to 12-month interferon-alpha 2a therapy was s imilar in patients with anti-HBe antibody than in patients with the classic al HBeAg-positive of chronic hepatitis B.