Lymphoblastoid interferon therapy of chronic HBV infection. A comparison of 12 vs. 24 weeks of thrice weekly treatment.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1988. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Lymphoblastoid interferon therapy of chronic HBV infection. A comparison of 12 vs. 24 weeks of thrice weekly treatment.

J Hepatol. 1987 Aug;5(1):51-8. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/88008968
Scully LJ; Shein R; Karayiannis P; McDonald JA; Thomas HC; Academic Department of Medicine, Royal Free Hospital Medical; School, London, U.K.

Abstract: This study set out to examine the relative effectiveness and tolerability of 12- versus 24-week courses of thrice weekly intramuscular lymphoblastoid interferon in the treatment of hepatitis B 'e' antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, and to identify pretreatment factors predicting the outcome of therapy. Twenty patients were randomised to each treatment group. Treatment was associated with clearance of HBeAg and HBV-DNA in 59% of the 32 male patients, whereas none of the eight women responded (48% overall response rate). This response rate in males is at least three times the recorded spontaneous seroconversion rates in this population. Most of the women (5/8) were of Oriental origin and had minimal disease, factors that may have influenced response. The longer course was poorly tolerated and was therefore no more effective: eight of 20 patients withdrew because of side-effects. Variables associated with response included high AST (aspartate transaminase), short duration of disease and previous history of acute hepatitis. A response to antiviral therapy was accompanied by clinical and biochemical evidence of improvement in liver disease.

Keywords: Acute Disease Adult Antibodies, Viral/ANALYSIS Chronic Disease Drug Administration Schedule DNA, Viral/ANALYSIS Female Hepatitis/IMMUNOLOGY Hepatitis B/IMMUNOLOGY/MICROBIOLOGY/*THERAPY Hepatitis B e Antigens/ANALYSIS Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/ANALYSIS Homosexuality Human HIV/IMMUNOLOGY Interferon Type I/ADMINISTRATION & DOSAGE/ADVERSE EFFECTS/ *THERAPEUTIC USE Male Support, Non-U.S. Gov't CLINICAL TRIAL JOURNAL ARTICLE RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

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