[Impact of liver steatosis on antiviral effects of pegylated interferon-alpha in patients with chronic hepatitis B].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of hepatic steatosis on virologic response in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients treated with pegylated interferon-alpha (PEG-IFNa). METHODS: Ninety-six naive patients positive for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and with biopsy-proven CHB were administered PEG-IFNa-2a or PEG-IFNa-2b for 48 weeks. Virologic response (HBeAg clearance and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA less than 5 log10 copies/ml) and biochemical response (alanine transaminase (ALT) normalization) were compared between patients with (n=34) and without (n=62) steatosis. RESULTS: The HBV DNA titer in the steatosis group was significantly lower than that of the non-steatosis group (6.961.27 vs. 7.541.28 log10 copies/ml; t=2.161, P=0.033). After 48 weeks of PEG-IFNa treatments, there was no significant difference in HBeAg seroconversion or the percentage of undetectable HBV DNA (less than 3 log10 copies/ml) between steatosis and non-steatosis patients. However, the steatosis patients presented with a significantly lower complete response rate (virologic response plus biochemical response) compared to non-steatosis patients (26.5% vs. 48.4%; x² =4.373, P=0.037). Of the 45 CHB patients with undetectable HBV DNA after 48 weeks of treatment, seven did not achieve ALT normalization. The rate of patients with non-biochemical response was significantly higher in the steatosis group than in the non-steatosis group (33.3% vs. 6.67%; P=0.032). CONCLUSION: Hepatic steatosis does not affect the virologic response, but does affect the biochemical response in CHB patients treated with PEG-IFNa for 48 weeks.

[Three-year efficacy and side effect of adefovir dipivoxil for the treatment of the old patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate 3-year antiviral efficacy and side effect of adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) on the old patients with hepatitis B chronic infection. METHODS: 31 HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B virus infected old patients (include 8 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 23 patients with liver cirrhosis) with serum HBV DNA levels > 1000 copies/ml, and ALT > 2 times the upper limit of normal, without company with other liver diseases, cancer, renal dysfunction, and autoimmune disease. All the patients were treated with ADV orally (10 mg once daily) for 36 months. HBV DNA and biochemical and blood routine indexes were checked after treated. RESULT: Serum total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, alamine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and load of HBV DNA decrease significantly after therapy (P < 0. 001). Other biochemical indexs and blood routine are no significant changes (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The way to treat with ADV is safe and effective for old patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection.