Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Brunetto, Maurizia Rossana
• Oliveri, Filippo
• Coco, Barbara
• Leandro, Gioacchino
• Colombatto, Piero
• Gorin, Juliana Monti
• Bonino, Ferruccio

Titel

Outcome of anti-HBe positive chronic hepatitis B in alpha-interferon treated and untreated patients: a long term cohort study

Ist Teil von

• Journal of hepatology, 2002-02, Vol.36 (2), p.263-270

Ort / Verlag

Oxford: Elsevier B.V

Erscheinungsjahr

2002

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Elsevier Journal Backfiles on ScienceDirect (DFG Nationallizenzen)

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Background/Aims : We studied the influence of biochemical and virologic patterns and interferon on the outcome of anti-HBe positive chronic hepatitis B in 164 (103 treated) consecutive patients, followed-up prospectively for a mean of 6 years (21 months–12 years). Methods : Histology, biochemical and virologic profiles were characterized by monthly monitoring during the first 12 months of follow-up. Thereafter patients underwent blood and clinical controls every 4 and 6 months, respectively. Cirrhosis at follow-up histology or end stage complications of cirrhosis served as end points for the analysis of factors influencing disease progression in patients with baseline chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis, respectively. Results : Disease progression was associated with older age ( P<0.001), absence of previous HBeAg history ( P=0.017) and higher serum HBV-DNA levels ( P=0.009) (more frequently observed in unremitting disease profile, P=0.012) at multivariate analysis. Fluctuations of IgM anti-HBc levels (associated with disease exacerbations, P=0.045) correlated with end stage complications in cirrhotics ( P=0.011). Disease improved in 14.6 and 1.6% of treated and untreated patients, respectively ( P=0.015): interferon slowed disease progression ( P<0.001). Conclusions : The outcome of anti-HBe positive chronic hepatitis B is worsened by older age and persistent viral replication or hepatitis exacerbations in chronic hepatitis or in cirrhotic patients, respectively. Interferon reduces by 2.5-folds disease progression.