Therapy effect of lamivudine combination with alpha interferon on patients with chronic hepatitis B / 中华肝脏病杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the short-term therapeutic efficacy and safety of lamivudine (LAM) combining with alpha interferon (IFNalpha) on patients with chronic hepatitis B.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>90 chronic hepatitis B patients with HBV DNA and HBeAg positive were subdivided by 111 proportion into three groups (1) LAM+IFN group 6 months therapy of IFNalpha plus lamivudine followed by 6 months of lamivudine; (2) LAM group lamivudine alone for 12 months; (3)IFN group IFNalpha alone for 6 months.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>At the end of treatment, the HBV DNA undetectable rate in LAM+IFN group (90.0%) was much higher than that in LAM group (80.0%) and IFN group (46.7%) (chi2 = 13.017, P < 0.001). ALT normalization occurred 90.0%, 80.0%, and 53.3% in LAM+IFN group, LAM group, and IFN group, respectively (chi2 = 9.932, P = 0.002). HBeAg/anti-HBe seroconversion rates achieved 46.7%, 13.3%, and 33.3% in LAM+IFN group, LAM group, and IFN group, respectively (chi2 = 7.937, P = 0.005). YMDD mutation was not detected in serum samples from LAM+IFN group patients.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>LAM+IFN therapy for chronic hepatitis B is tolerated and more effective than IFN monotherapy in inhibiting viral replication and getting ALT normalization. The HBeAg/anti-HBe seroconversion rate with LAM+IFN therapy is higher than that with lamivudine monotherapy. LAM+IFN combination therapy seems to inhibit or postpone YMDD variants appearing in patients with chronic hepatitis B.</p>