[Effect of interferon alpha on liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B].

Objective: To observe the histological changes in the fibrotic and inflammatory tissues in response to interferon alpha treatment in patients with chronic viral hepatitis B.

Methods: Sixteen patients with chronic viral hepatitis B in S3-S4 stages established by pathological examination were treated with interferon alpha for 6-9 months, and the degree of liver fibrosis and inflammation were examined 3 times during the treatment. The expression of Fas, transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFbeta1) and HBcAg in the liver tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry, and DNA fragmentation was examined by TUNEL assay.