ABSTRACT
The author observed clinical study and response of -interferon treatment of 43 cases of chronic hepatitis who were admitted to Department of Pediatrics Pusan National University College of Medicine during the period of 4 year 6 months from Jenuary, 1988 to Jun, 1992. The results were as follows: 1) Of 43 patients with chronic hepatitis, CPH was 17 cases (39.5%) and CAH was 26 cases (60.5%). 2) Of 43 patients, chronic hepatitis caused by HBV was 37 cases (86.0%) 2 cases were by Wilson's disease, 1 case was by glycogen storage disease and in the 3 cases, the cause was undetermined and CPH by HBV and CAH were 14 cases (82.4%), 23 cases (88.5%) respectively. 3) A peak frequency (46.5%) of chronic hepatitis occurred between 6 to age and male predominated in a propotion of 3.5:1. 4) On the clinical manifestation, jaundice and hepatomegaly was higher frequency on CAH than on CPH. 5) On the laboratory findings, CAH had higher serum ALT and direct bilirubin level than CPH. 6) On effect of -interferon treatment for patients of CAH, serum ALT and AST levels normalized in 81.8% of patients, negative conversion of HBeAg was 38.5%, Anti-HBe serocoversion was 7.7%, negative conversion of HBsAg was 7.7% and the clearnce of HBV-DNA from seum showed 60.0%. 7) The HBeAg seroconversion (28.6%) on children of HBsAg(+) mother showed lower reponse than HBeAg seroconversion (50.0%) of HBsAg(-) mother after -interferon treatment for patients of CAH.