A pilot study of 2 years of interferon treatment in patients with chronic delta hepatitis


Yurdaydin C., Bozkaya H., Karaaslan H., Oender F. O., Erkan O. E., Yalcin K., ...More

JOURNAL OF VIRAL HEPATITIS, vol.14, no.11, pp.812-816, 2007 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 14 Issue: 11
  • Publication Date: 2007
  • Doi Number: 10.1111/j.1365-2893.2007.00875.x
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF VIRAL HEPATITIS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.812-816
  • Keywords: chronic delta hepatitis, treatment, two years of interferon, B-E-ANTIGEN, ALPHA TREATMENT, THERAPY, RIBAVIRIN, SYSTEM
  • Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University Affiliated: No

Abstract

High dose interferon treatment for 1 year is the only established treatment for chronic hepatitis D, but it is associated with a high relapse rate after treatment discontinuation. In this study, patients were treated with 10 MU interferon alpha 2b, thrice weekly for 2 years. Twenty-three patients were recruited and 15 completed the 2-year treatment and 6 months follow-up periods. Treatment response was assessed biochemically [normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT)], virologically (undetectable hepatitis D virus RNA) and histologically (at least 2 point decrease in the Knodell score) at the end of treatment (EOT) and at the end of follow-up. Out of 15 patients who finished the 2-year treatment period, seven patients (47%) had a biochemical response but only two (13%) had a normal ALT after follow-up. ALT decreased from the baseline value of 143.1 +/- 121.7 (mean +/- SD) to 39.7 +/- 20.6 (P < 0.01) at EOT. Virological response was observed in six patients at EOT and in two patients at follow-up. Two patients lost hepatitis B surface antigen. Of the 12 patients with paired liver biopsies, a histological improvement was observed in eight patients. Interferon treatment leads to a complete or partial response in a substantial number of patients but 2 years of treatment does not appear to increase sustained response rates over 1 year treatment.