Twenty-four week administration of recombinant interferon alfa 2a for chronic hepatitis B

Abstract

Efficacy of 24-week administration of recombinant interferon alfa 2a to 100 patients with chronic hepatitis B was investigated. 9 MU of Interferon was injected daily for 2 weeks followed by 22 week af 9 MU interferon thrice weekly. Among 52 HBeAg-positive patients who completed interferon therapy, e antigen became negative in 27 (52%) and ALT turned normal in 25 (48%) at 24 weeks after discontinuation of interferon. Serum HBVDNA decreased in all cases during therapy, although none of the patients persistently cleared serum HBVDNA. Of 39 HBeAgnegative patients, normalization of ALT was retained in 23 (59%) at 24 week after therapy. In this group, serum HBVDNA became negative during interferon therapy in 9 (23%) cases. Twenty four week administration of interferon seems to be an effective therapeutic approach for chronic hepatitis B, with or without serum HBe-antigen.