Efficacy of pegylated interferon-α treatment for 24 months in chronic delta hepatitis and predictors of response

• Published in: Antiviral therapy 2013, Vol.18 (4), p.561-566
• Main Authors: KARACA, Cetin, SOYER, Ozlem M, KAYMAKOGLU, Sabahattin, BARAN, Bulent, ORMECI, Asli C, GOKTURK, Suut, AYDIN, Esra, EVIRGEN, Sami, AKYUZ, Filiz, DEMIR, Kadir, BESISIK, Fatih
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antiviral agents; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Drug Administration Schedule; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Hepatitis D, Chronic - blood; Hepatitis D, Chronic - diagnosis; Hepatitis D, Chronic - drug therapy; Hepatitis D, Chronic - virology; Hepatitis Delta Virus - drug effects; Hepatitis Delta Virus - physiology; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Interferon-alpha - therapeutic use; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Molecular Typing; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Polyethylene Glycols - therapeutic use; Prognosis; Recombinant Proteins - therapeutic use; RNA, Viral - antagonists & inhibitors; RNA, Viral - blood; Treatment Outcome; Viral diseases; Viral hepatitis; Viral Load - drug effects
• ISSN: 1359-6535; 2040-2058
• DOI: 10.3851/IMP2381

To determine the efficacy of pegylated interferon-α (PEG-IFN-α) therapy for 24 months in chronic delta hepatitis (CDH). Patients with CDH who were treated by PEG-IFN-α2a or -2b for 24 months were included in the study. Demographic, biochemical and virological parameters were recorded at baseline and during follow-up. All included patients completed a treatment period of 24 months and at least a 6 month (range 6-60) follow-up period. Biochemical and virological response rates at end of treatment and end of follow-up were calculated, and predictors of sustained virological response (SVR) were analysed. In total, 32 patients (22 males; mean age ± SD 42.7 ± 12 years) with CDH who were treated with PEG-IFN-α2a (180 µg) or -2b (1.5 µg/kg) once a week subcutaneously for 24 months were included in the study. All patients had compensated liver disease (25 [78%] were non-cirrhotic), increased transaminase levels and HDV RNA positivity at baseline. Genotypic analyses of HDV showed genotype I in all. Mean duration of follow-up was 19.5 months. At the end of treatment, virological response was achieved in 16 (50%) patients. SVR at the end of follow-up was achieved in 15 (47%) patients. A negative HDV RNA at 6 months of treatment was the only predictor of SVR (OR = 20; 95% CI 2, 195; P = 0.01). PEG-IFN-α treatment achieved SVR in approximately half of the patients with CDH, and relapse rate was very low during the follow-up. Negativity of HDV RNA at 6 months may predict SVR in CDH.