HBsAg and HBeAg in the prediction of a clinical response to peginterferon [alpha]-2b therapy in Chinese HBeAg-positive patients

• Published in: Virology journal 2016-10, Vol.13 (1)
• Main Authors: Yang, Song, Xing, Huichun, Wang, Yuming, Hou, Jinlin, Luo, Duande, Xie, Qing, Ning, Qin, Ren, Hong, Ding, Huiguo, Sheng, Jifang, Wei, Lai, Chen, Shijun, Fan, Xiaoling, Huang, Wenxiang, Pan, Chen, Gao, Zhiliang, Zhang, Jiming, Zhou, Boping, Chen, Guofeng, Wan, Mobin, Tang, Hong, Wang, Guiqiang, Yang, Yuxiu, Xu, Dongping, Dong, Peiling, Wang, Qixin, Wang, Jue, Bognar, Fernando A, Xu, Daozhen, Cheng, Jun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Complications and side effects; Diagnosis; Dosage and administration; Drug therapy; Hepatitis associated antigen; Hepatitis B; Interferon alpha; Measurement; Patient outcomes; Physiological aspects
• ISSN: 1743-422X; 1743-422X
• DOI: 10.1186/s12985-016-0640-1

This study aimed to evaluate the predictive values of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) levels in 171 Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B who received a 48-week course of pegylated interferon alfa-2b therapy at 1.5 mcg/kg. HBsAg, HBeAg, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels were measured at baseline and weeks 12, 24, 48, and 72. Clinical responses were defined as a combined response (CR, HBeAg seroconversion [sustained response, SR] combined with HBV DNA level 20,000 IU/mL at weeks 12 and 24 had a 93.8 and 100.0 % chance, respectively, of not achieving a CR. An HBsAg level or changes at weeks 12 and 24, combined with HBeAg or HBV DNA, increased the chance for a SR and CR. On-treatment HBsAg quantification, alone or in combination with HBeAg or HBV DNA, predicted off-treatment SR and CR after 48 weeks of PEG-IFN[alpha]-2b therapy, and thus, may guide clinicians in making a therapeutic decision to continue or terminate the therapy.