Predictors of response to pegylated interferon treatment in HBeAg-negative patients with chronic hepatitis B

Authors

  • Ertugrul Guclu Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey
  • Nazan Tuna Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey
  • Oguz Karabay Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey
  • Sıla Akhan Faculty of Medicine, Kocaeli University Kocaeli, Turkey
  • Hurrem Bodur Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
  • Bahadır Ceylan Health Ministry Istanbul Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
  • Tuna Demirdal Faculty of Medicine, Kocatepe University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
  • Kutbettin Demirdag Faculty of Medicine, Fırat University, Elazığ, Turkey
  • Nese Demirturk Faculty of Medicine, Kocatepe University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
  • Hasan Ekerbicer Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey
  • Serpil Erol Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey
  • Saban Esen Faculty of Medicine, Ondoukuz Mayis Universty, Samsun, Turkey
  • Omer Evirgen Faculty of Medicine, Mustafa Kemal University, Hatay, Turkey
  • Mehmet Faruk Geyik Faculty of Medicine Duzce University, Duzce, Turkey
  • Alper Gunduz Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
  • Mustafa Kasım Karahocagil Faculty of Medicine, Yuzuncu yıl University, Van, Turkey
  • Omer Faruk Kokoglu Faculty of Medicine, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaraş, Turkey
  • Davut Ozdemir Faculty of Medicine Duzce University, Duzce, Turkey
  • Nail Ozgunes Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
  • Fatma Sargın Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
  • Selma Tosun Manisa State Hospital, Manisa, Turkey
  • Ediz Tutuncu Dıskapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.4953

Keywords:

hepatitis B, interferon, sustained virological response, viral load

Abstract

Introduction: Although pegylated interferons (pegIFNs) alpha-2a and alpha-2b have been used in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) treatment for many years, there are few studies concerning predictors of sustained virologic response (SVR) to pegIFN therapy. In this study, we aimed to investigate the predictors of response to pegIFN treatment in cases with HBeAg-negative CHB infection.

Methodology: Seventeen tertiary care hospitals in Turkey were included in this study. Data from consecutively treated HBeAg-negative CHB patients, who received either pegIFN alpha-2a or alpha-2b, were collected retrospectively. SVR is defined as an HBV DNA concentration of less than 2,000 IU/mL six months after the completion of therapy

Results: SVR was achieved in 40 (25%) of the 160 HBeAg-negative CHB patients. Viral loads in patients with SVR were lower compared to those with no SVR, beginning in the third month of treatment (p < 0.05). The number of cases with a decline of 1 log10 IU/mL in viral load after the first month of treatment and with a serum HBV DNA level under 2,000 IU/mL after the third month of treatment was higher in cases with SVR (p < 0.05). The number of patients who had undetectable HBV DNA levels at week 48 among responders was significantly greater than among post-treatment virological relapsers (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Detection of a 1 log10 decline in serum HBV DNA level at the first month of treatment and a serum HBV DNA level < 2000 IU/mL at the third month of therapy may be predictors of SVR.

Author Biography

Ertugrul Guclu, Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey

Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology

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Published

2014-12-15

How to Cite

1.
Guclu E, Tuna N, Karabay O, Akhan S, Bodur H, Ceylan B, Demirdal T, Demirdag K, Demirturk N, Ekerbicer H, Erol S, Esen S, Evirgen O, Geyik MF, Gunduz A, Karahocagil MK, Kokoglu OF, Ozdemir D, Ozgunes N, Sargın F, Tosun S, Tutuncu E (2014) Predictors of response to pegylated interferon treatment in HBeAg-negative patients with chronic hepatitis B. J Infect Dev Ctries 8:1601–1608. doi: 10.3855/jidc.4953

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Original Articles

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