Long-Term Peginterferon Shows Promise Against Hepatitis B in Pilot Study

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Long-Term Peginterferon Shows Promise Against Hepatitis B in Pilot Study

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Dec 21 - Sixty weeks of treatment with pegylated

interferon alfa-2a appears to produce a higher rate of sustained virologic

response in patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic

hepatitis B than that usually achieved with the standard treatment duration of

48 weeks. The study is reported in the December issue of the American Journal of

Gastroenterology.

There is a high rate of relapse when conventional interferon or peginterferon

are given for 48 weeks, but higher rates of lasting response have been seen when

conventional interferon is given for 2 years, note Dr. Perrillo at Baylor

University Medical Center in Dallas Texas, and colleagues.

The researchers therefore undertook a pilot study with 13 patients to evaluate

the virologic effectiveness of a 60-week course of treatment with peginterferon.

They also explored the effectiveness of combination therapy using lamivudine.

The primary end point was sustained virologic response, which was defined as

hepatitis B virus DNA less than 20,000 copies/mL and a decrease from baseline in

HBV DNA of at least 2 log copies/mL.

Seven of the 13 patients were randomized to receive peginterferon alfa-2a only

for 60 weeks, and the other six received the same course of peginterferon, plus

lamivudine from weeks 13 through 60. All 13 patients were followed for at least

24 weeks post-treatment.

By the end of treatment, only one patient in each group had not achieved a

sustained virologic response. As of the end of the follow-up period (week 84), 5

of 7 (71%) treated with peginterferon monotherapy and 3 of 6 (50%) treated with

the combination therapy met the criteria for a sustained virologic response.

The overall 62% sustained virologic response rate in this study compares with a

response rate of 42% seen in a recent similar trial of a 48-week regimen, Dr.

Perrillo and colleagues point out.

They call for larger randomized, controlled trials to study the effectiveness of

peginterferon against HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B, with post-treatment

follow-up of up to 5 years.

Am J Gastroenterol 2007;102:2718-2723

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/567871?src=mp

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[Guest guest]

Long-Term Peginterferon Shows Promise Against Hepatitis B in Pilot Study

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Dec 21 - Sixty weeks of treatment with pegylated

interferon alfa-2a appears to produce a higher rate of sustained virologic

response in patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic

hepatitis B than that usually achieved with the standard treatment duration of

48 weeks. The study is reported in the December issue of the American Journal of

Gastroenterology.

There is a high rate of relapse when conventional interferon or peginterferon

are given for 48 weeks, but higher rates of lasting response have been seen when

conventional interferon is given for 2 years, note Dr. Perrillo at Baylor

University Medical Center in Dallas Texas, and colleagues.

The researchers therefore undertook a pilot study with 13 patients to evaluate

the virologic effectiveness of a 60-week course of treatment with peginterferon.

They also explored the effectiveness of combination therapy using lamivudine.

The primary end point was sustained virologic response, which was defined as

hepatitis B virus DNA less than 20,000 copies/mL and a decrease from baseline in

HBV DNA of at least 2 log copies/mL.

Seven of the 13 patients were randomized to receive peginterferon alfa-2a only

for 60 weeks, and the other six received the same course of peginterferon, plus

lamivudine from weeks 13 through 60. All 13 patients were followed for at least

24 weeks post-treatment.

By the end of treatment, only one patient in each group had not achieved a

sustained virologic response. As of the end of the follow-up period (week 84), 5

of 7 (71%) treated with peginterferon monotherapy and 3 of 6 (50%) treated with

the combination therapy met the criteria for a sustained virologic response.

The overall 62% sustained virologic response rate in this study compares with a

response rate of 42% seen in a recent similar trial of a 48-week regimen, Dr.

Perrillo and colleagues point out.

They call for larger randomized, controlled trials to study the effectiveness of

peginterferon against HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B, with post-treatment

follow-up of up to 5 years.

Am J Gastroenterol 2007;102:2718-2723

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/567871?src=mp

_________________________________________________________________

Share life as it happens with the new Windows Live.

http://www.windowslive.com/share.html?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_Wave2_sharelife_122007