Natural course and response to interferon of chronic... : Hepatology (original) (raw)

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Natural course and response to interferon of chronic hepatitis B accompanied by antibody to hepatitis B e antigen

Brunetto, Maurizia Rossana1, 2; Oliveri, Filippo1, 2; Rocca, Giuseppe1, 2; Criscuolo, Domenico1, 2; Chiaberge, Elisabetta1, 2; Capalbo, Maria1, 2; David, Ezio1, 2; Verme, Giorgio1, 2; Bonino, Ferruccio M.D.*, 1, 2

1Department of Gastroenterology and Emergency Department, San Giovanni Battista “Molinette” Hospital, Turin

2Institute of Morbid Anatomy, University of Turin, Turin, and Clinical Research Department, Prodotti Roche, Milan, Italy

*Address reprint requests to: Department of Gastroenterology, San Giovanni Battista “Molinette,” Corso Bramante 88, 10126 Torino, Italy.

Received July 18, 1988; Accepted January 30, 1989; previously published online December 06, 2005

Abstract

The course of chronic hepatitis B was studied in 30 patients who had antibody to hepatitis e antigen and hepatitis B virus DNA in the serum and hepatitis B core antigen in the liver. Over a 2-year period, no patient experienced a sustained spontaneous remission of disease, and follow-up liver histology revealed worsening of the disease in four patients. After 2 years of observation, 24 patients were allocated randomly to one of two groups: 12 patients served as untreated controls and 12 received recombinant human α-interferon-2a in a dose of 9 million units intramuscularly three times weekly for 16 weeks. Patients who remained viremic after 16 weeks received 3 million units three times weekly for an additional 8 weeks. Abnormal aminotransferases and serum hepatitis B virus DNA persisted without appreciable changes in all untreated patients. Hepatitis B virus DNA rapidly became undetectable and serum aminotransferases fell to normal in eight treated patients. After the end of treatment, hepatitis B virus DNA became detectable once again in seven patients, in six of whom a peak of aminotransferases (range: 256 to 850 units per liter) ensued; subsequently, hepatitis B virus DNA disappeared, and serum aminotransferases again fell to normal in two of the seven. Overall, hepatitis B virus DNA was no longer detectable in serum and liver histology improved in three treated patients. These results suggest that chronic hepatitis B with anti-HBe in serum differs from chronic hepatitis with HBeAg in both natural history and response to interferon. Peculiar features are the frequency of spontaneous remissions and a high frequency of reactivation after a response to interferon. New and more effective schedules of antiviral treatment are needed for this subset of patients with chronic hepatitis B.