Study of Long Term Follow-up of Interferon Therapy in Chronic Viral Hepatitis: in 222 cases during 127 weeks / 대한간학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of interferon in chrcnic viral hepatitis, interferon was administered to 222 patients with biopsy proven chronic viral hepatitis. METHODS: 32 patients were excluded and the 190 patients was included, 149 men and 41 women. Average age was 34.4+-8.93 (14-67) years. 161 cases had HBsAg and HBeAg, and 29 cases had anti-HCV Ab. Three millicn units of interferon beta were given to 37 patients with chronic B hepatitis, daily for one month Six million units of interferon alpha were given to 124 patients with chronic B hepatitis and 29 patients with chr onic C hepatitis, three times a week for six months. RESULTS: 1) Out of 124 patients with clronic hepatitis B treated with a-interferon, HBeAg negativity for more tban six months was observed in 25 patients (20.2%), and defined as responder group. The 23 patients (18.5%) were defined as probable responder, because of persistent seroregativity of HBeAg for the last 6 months, despite of fluctuation of sercangativity during the follow-up. The 29 patients (23.4%) were defined as probable non-responder because of recurrence of HBeAg, which once was cleared but reappeared during last 6 months. But there was no seroconversion in 47 cases (37.9%). The overall response rate was 38.7%. 2) Out of 37 patients with chronic hepatitis B treated with B-interferon, 7 patients (18.9%) were responder, 6 patients (16.2%) probable responder, 12 patients (32.4%) probable non-responder, 12 patients (32.4%) non-responder. The overall response rate was 35.1%. 3) Out of 29 patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with a-interferon, normalization of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level for mcrre than six months was observed in 9 patients (31.0%), and defined as responder group. The 3 patients (10.3%) were defined as probable responder, because ALT levels fluctuated but wes normalized during the last 6 months. The 5 patients (17.2%) were defined as pobable ncn-mponder, because of persistent fluctuation of ALT levels during the last 6manths, which once were normalized but reelevated. In 12 patients (41.4%), there had never been a normalization of ALT level. The overall resporate was 41.1%. 4) The period of HBeAg seropositivity was 1.33 times longer than the period of seronegativity. The faster the seroconvmion, the more the tendency to be a respander for the patients with chronic hepatitis B. CONCLUSION: Interferon therapy may be effective in some cleonic viral hepatitis.