Peginterferon alpha-2a (40 kDa): an advance in the treatment of hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B.

Current therapies for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) have a number of limitations, and better treatment options are needed. Peginterferon alpha-2a (40 kDa) is superior to conventional interferon alpha-2a in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. This is the first report on peginterferon alpha-2a (40 kDa) in the treatment of CHB.

Sustained response to interferon-alpha2a monotherapy of young blood donors with minimal-to-mild chronic hepatitis C. The Donor Surveillance Study Group.

Subjects with minimal-to-mild chronic hepatitis C may suffer long-term consequences of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Nonetheless, they are not candidates for antiviral treatment, mainly because little data are available concerning the efficacy and safety of therapy. Thirty-two HCV RNA positive individuals aged 18-45 years, who had a histological activity index score < or = 8 and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels < or = 1.

Chronic hepatitis C: interferon retreatment of relapsers. A meta-analysis of individual patient data. European Concerted Action on Viral Hepatitis (EUROHEP).

Relapse after interferon (IFN) therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection occurs in 50% of patients after the initial response. The benefit of retreatment with IFN alone has not been assessed in large controlled studies. To assess the effectiveness and the tolerability of IFN retreatment and to identify the optimal second course regimen, we performed a meta-analysis of individual patient's data on a set of 549 patients (mean age 43.

Retreatment of chronic hepatitis B e antigen-positive patients with recombinant interferon alfa-2a. The European Concerted Action on Viral Hepatitis (EUROHEP).

Fifty-seven patients with chronic hepatitis B, hepatitis B virus (HBV) e antigen (HBeAg) and HBV DNA positivity, and aminotransferase elevation despite a previous course of any type of adequate interferon alfa (IFN-alpha) therapy were included in a multicenter prospective randomized controlled trial. The objective of the study was to compare a second course of IFN-alpha therapy (9 million units [MU] of IFN-alpha-2a, Roferon-A, thrice weekly for 6 months) versus no therapy in terms of loss of HBV DNA and HBeAg. At the end of the study, a sustained clearance of HBV DNA and HBeAg was observed in 9 of the 27 (33.

In vitro effect of amantadine and interferon alpha-2a on hepatitis C virus markers in cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells from hepatitis C virus-infected patients.

The effects of amantadine (1-5 microM) and interferon alpha (IFNalpha)-2a alone (1000 IU/ml) and combined, have been studied in cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 15 chronic hepatitis C patients and ten healthy donors. Amantadine itself did not affect cell viability and had minor effects on the response to mitogens by PBMC. Four patients (27%), but no donors, had hepatitis C virus (HCV) core and NS3-specific proliferative responses.