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Current Hepatology Reports
Published in: Current Hepatology Reports 3/2014

01-09-2014 | Hepatitis B (P Martin and P Lampertico, Section Editors)

Response-guided Peginterferon Therapy for HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative Chronic Hepatitis B using Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Levels: A Review

Authors: Milan J. Sonneveld, Willem P. Brouwer, Harry L. A. Janssen

Published in: Current Hepatology Reports | Issue 3/2014

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Abstract

Hepatitis B surface antigenemia (HBsAg) is the hallmark of HBV infection. Serum levels of HBsAg appear to reflect the degree of immune control over the virus: lower levels signify a higher level of immune control. One year of peginterferon (PEG-IFN) therapy results in a decline of HBsAg in serum that is sustained off-treatment. Patients who achieve a sustained virological response to PEG-IFN have more pronounced on-treatment HBsAg decline. HBsAg levels during therapy can be used to predict the chance of treatment success. Among HBeAg-positive patients, the probability of response is extremely low in patients with HBsAg levels >20,000 IU/mL at week 24 of treatment and therapy discontinuation is indicated. Similarly, therapy cessation is indicated in HBeAg-negative patients without HBsAg decline at week 12 if HBV DNA has not been reduced by at least 2 log IU/mL.
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Metadata
Title
Response-guided Peginterferon Therapy for HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative Chronic Hepatitis B using Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Levels: A Review
Authors
Milan J. Sonneveld
Willem P. Brouwer
Harry L. A. Janssen
Publication date
01-09-2014
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Current Hepatology Reports / Issue 3/2014
Electronic ISSN: 2195-9595
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11901-014-0239-1

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WHO estimates that half of all patients worldwide are non-adherent to their prescribed medication. The consequences of poor adherence can be catastrophic, on both the individual and population level.

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