Viral Hepatitis
Interferon, one of the most widely used drugs for viral hepatitis, can keep the patients at a state of sustained response after stopping treatment without gene resistance, and it can be treated with patients aged 12 months or more. A number of clinical experience accumulated in the treatment of hepatitis B and C.
For chronic hepatitis B patients with HBeAg positive and ALT elevated, IFNα is the first choice treatment[1].. After 24~36 weeks treatment, the negative conversion rate of the HBV DNA, HBeAg and HBsAg on CHB patients was 40~60%, 50% and 10%, while the recovery rate of patients’ ALT reached to 80~90%, and all the outcomes maintain this level at 24 weeks after ending treatment[2]. It’s important to add in or change to IFNα for children with poor response to nucleoside analogues [3]. And for CHB patients with YMDD mutations, application of Hapgen is more safe and effective[4].
For chronic hepatitis C patients with HCV RNA positive and ALT elevated, or patients with HCV RNA positive, ALT normal but liver with active damage, IFNα combined with ribavirin is a better choice[5].
Reference:
1.Sokal EM, Paganelli M, Wirth S, et al. Management of chronic hepatitis B in childhood: ESPGHAN clinical practice guidelines: consensus of an expert panel on behalf of the European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition[J]. J Hepatol, 2013,59(4):814-829.
2.Sun CY. Effect of recombinant interferon α-1b on chronic hepatitis B [J]. Journal of Applied Clinical Pediatrics,2005,20(8):802,814.
3.Sun J, Hou JL, Xie Q, et al. Randomised clinical trial: efficacy of peginterferon alfa-2ain HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B patients with lamivudine resistance[J]. Aliment Pharmacol Ther,2011,4(4):424-431.
4.Yang RL, Pang GH, Liu BG. Effect of interferon α1b on chronic hepatitis B patients with YMDD mutations [J].Guide of China Medicine, 2008, 6(1): 33-34.
5.Zhou YJ. Effect of interferon α-1b combined with ribavirin on children’s hepatitis [J]. Shandong Medical Journal,2003,43(19):11.