Peginterferon and Chinese herbs exert a combinatorial effect in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B

Yingfeng An; Shoucui Gao; Daxin Cheng; Xiaojing Wang; Liang Bai; Enqi Liu; Yonglie Chu; Sihai Zhao

doi:10.3855/jidc.6569

Peginterferon and Chinese herbs exert a combinatorial effect in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B

Authors

Yingfeng An Xi’an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shaanxi, China
Shoucui Gao Xi’an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shaanxi, China
Daxin Cheng Xi’an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Center, Shaanxi, China
Xiaojing Wang Xi’an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Center, Shaanxi, China
Liang Bai Xi’an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Center, Shaanxi, China
Enqi Liu Xi’an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shaanxi, China
Yonglie Chu Xi’an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shaanxi, China
Sihai Zhao Xi’an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shaanxi, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.6569

Keywords:

peginterferon, Chinese herbs, chronic hepatitis B

Abstract

Introduction: Traditional Chinese herbs are widely used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in China. The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing peginterferon therapies with peginterferon plus Chinese herbal therapies in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive CHB patients.

Methodology: The main biomedical databases were searched to identify RCTs that compared the efficiency of peginterferon with peginterferon plus Chinese herbs in CHB patients.

Results: The literature search yielded 616 studies, and 8 RCTs (624 patients) matched the selection criteria. Combined therapies of peginterferon plus Chinese herbal therapies were superior to peginterferon therapies alone in achieving the serum HBV DNA clearance rate (64.5% vs. 45.0%), serum HBeAg clearance rate (47.4% vs. 33.5%), and HBeAg seroconversion rates (39.2% vs. 23.1%) at the end of treatment. Combined therapies were more effective than peginterferon alone therapies in the improvement of liver fibrosis related biomarkers, including hyaluronic acid, procollagen type III, type IV collagen, and lamina. Combined therapies also resulted in fewer relapses, fewer adverse events, and more rapid alanine transaminase normalization.

Conclusions: The current evidence suggests that peginterferon plus Chinese herbal therapies were associated with higher virological response than peginterferon alone in HBeAg-positive CHB patients.

Downloads

Published

2016-04-28

How to Cite

An Y, Gao S, Cheng D, Wang X, Bai L, Liu E, Chu Y, Zhao S (2016) Peginterferon and Chinese herbs exert a combinatorial effect in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B. J Infect Dev Ctries 10:369–376. doi: 10.3855/jidc.6569

Download Citation

Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 04: April 2016

Section

Original Articles

License

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).