Efficacy of low-dose interferon alfa-2b therapy in HIV and NANB chronic hepatitis

S176

Efficacy of Low-Dose Interferon Alfa-2b Therapy in HBV and NANB Chronic Hepatitis TRibLila, AM “aI% PPirea Mfdic.4 Lhcd OfFurto, Pmhlgal. Objective To evaluate the response to interferon alfalb GNTRON A) therapy in two groups of patients: those with chronic type B hepatitis (3 months’ treatment) and those with NANB hepatitis (12 months’ treatment).

Patients Caucasian patients, 1575 years old without any systemic disease, entered the study. Patient profile.

Efficacy of Interferon

4/apatknts. -

n Serum HBV-DNA disappeared in 3/7 patients. n Serum ALT t’qonse in 4/S patients. n Anti-HBc IgM disappeared in 4/5 patients. Patients with hepatitis tl responding alfa-Zb. in,enerDn dfa.lb

I< ON*+

I

Am-He8 -

NAN6 hepatitis n Serum ALT response

in a/10 patients.

Patients with NANB hepatitis interferon alfa-Zb.

I ‘%n

to interferon

responding

InxxkKon #aa

j _

I

to

. ,,_, _ I

Response was defined by: Hepatitis g n semconversion (HBeAg to anti-HBe) m lass of senun HBV-DNA NANB hepatitis n normaliraticm of ALT or a decrease to lower than twice normal level.

Results Side effects. I_ I

Tolerance S No biochemical alterations. n Minimal clinical and hematologic

toxicity.

n interferon alfa-2b (3 MU TIW) resulted in high response rates: 50% in HBV and 8040 in NANB. m There was a better response in NANB patients in the first fortnight. B Side effects were minimal and therapy was well tolerated: only one patient req,dred dose redwtion by half and none were withdrawn from therapy.