Published in:
Open Access
01-12-2019 | Hepatitis B | Research article
Sustained serological and complete responses in HBeAg-positive patients treated with Peginterferon alfa-2b: a 6-year long-term follow-up of a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial in China
Authors:
Jian Sun, Huiguo Ding, Guofeng Chen, Guiqiang Wang, Lai Wei, Jiming Zhang, Qing Xie, Mobin Wan, Hong Tang, Shijun Chen, Zhiliang Gao, Yuming Wang, Dazhi Zhang, Wenxiang Huang, Jifang Sheng, Qin Ning, Dongliang Yang, Jian Lu, Chen Pan, Yuxiu Yang, Jue Wang, Chuanzhen Sun, Qixin Wang, Jinlin Hou
Published in:
BMC Gastroenterology
|
Issue 1/2019
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Abstract
Background
Pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) alfa-2b is recommended for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). We aimed to investigate the sustainability of off-treatment responses among Chinese HBeAg-positive CHB patients treated with PEG-IFN alfa-2b from a randomized trial.
Methods
Eligible Chinese patients (n = 322) were followed up by one visit after a median of 6 years (LTFU) following their participation in a randomized trial evaluating the efficacy of three PEG-IFN alfa-2b dosing regimens (1.0 or 1.5 μg/kg/wk. 24 weeks or 1.5 μg/kg/wk. 48 weeks). Primary endpoints at the LTFU were sustained SR and CR (SR/CR at the end of original study [EOS] and at the LTFU). SR was defined as HBeAg loss and seroconversion to anti-HBe and CR as HBeAg loss and seroconversion to anti-HBe and HBV-DNA < 2000 IU/mL.
Results
The proportions of patients achieving sustained SR among patients who had SR at EOS were high in three treatment groups (61.9, 65.5, 76.5%, respectively, p = 0.46); treatment with PEG-IFN alfa-2b 1.5 μg/kg/wk. 48 weeks had the highest proportion of a sustained CR among patients who had CR at EOS (75.0%, p = 0.05). A considerable number of patients achieved sustained SR (18.2–29.9%) and sustained CR (14.8–18.3%) after EOS despite no further NA treatment. At the LTFU, rates of SR and CR were less than 70.0 and 50.0%, respectively, among all enrolled patients regardless of additional nucleos(t)ide analogs before the LTFU.
Conclusions
PEG IFN alfa-2b therapy had considerable off-treatment sustainability in Chinese HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B patients with serological and complete responses.