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KMID : 1188320160100040611
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Gut and Liver
2016 Volume.10 No. 4 p.611 ~ p.616
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Potential Efficacy of Pegylated Interferon-α and a Nucleos(t)ide Analogue as Combination Therapy for HBeAg-Positive Chronic Hepatitis B
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Chung-Il Wi
W. Ray Kim
John B. Gross
Linda M. Stadheim
John J. Poterucha
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Abstract
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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 HBeAg-positive 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 patients experienced loss of HBeAg at a mean of 72.3±66.9 weeks, including six patients who also developed anti-HBe and one patient who had HBs seroconversion. Although both adolescents remain on therapy, one adolescent had HBs seroconversion without HBe seroconversion. A total of nine of our 10 patients experienced a favorable serological transition.
Conclusions:The combination of p-IFN and a modern oral antiviral agent may be more effective than monotherapy with either class of agent in the treatment of HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients.
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KEYWORD
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Combination antiviral therapy, HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B, HBe seroconversion, Pegylated interferon, Entecavir or tenofovir
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