Potential Efficacy of Pegylated Interferon-α and a Nucleos(t)ide Analogue as Combination Therapy for HBeAg-Positive Chronic Hepatitis B.

ABSTRACT:

Background/aims

Despite the potent suppression of the hepatitis B virus with modern antiviral agents, only a minority of HBeAg-positive patients achieve hepatitis B e antigen seroconversion. We aimed to explore the potential efficacy of combination therapy consisting of pegylated interferon (p-IFN) and an oral antiviral agent in patients with HBeAgpositive chronic hepatitis B.

Methods

The treatment protocol consisted of p-IFN-α-2a at 180 μg/wk for 48 weeks, with either entecavir or tenofovir added 8 weeks after the initiation of p-IFN and continued for at least 6 months after HBe seroconversion was achieved.

Results

To date, 10 patients have been treated under the protocol (eight adults, mean age 36±8 years; two adolescents, aged 12 and 16 years). All eight adult pati

SUBMITTER: Wi CI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4933423 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature