Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by LAI, C-L
Right arrow Articles by YEUNG, C-Y
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by LAI, C-L
Right arrow Articles by YEUNG, C-Y
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Q J Med 1991; 78: 155-163
© 1991 Association of Physicians

research-article

Effect of Recombinant Alpha2 Interferon With or Without Prednisone in Chinese HBsAg Carrier Children

C-L LAI, H-J LIN{dagger}, JY-N LAU, AS-FLOK, P-C WU*, H-T CHUNG, LS-K WONG, MP LEUNG{ddagger} and C-Y YEUNG{ddagger}

From the Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong Hong Kong *Department of Pathology, University of Hong Kong Hong Kong {dagger}Department of Paediatrics, University of Hong Kong Hong Kong {ddagger}Department of Clinical Biochemistry Unit, University of Hong Kong Hong Kong

Accepted for publication 24 August 1990.

Ninety Chinese hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier children, aged 2–17 years, positive for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and hepatitis B virus DNA on at least three occasions in 6 months, were randomized into 3 groups. Thirty children received syrup vitamin B complex as control, 29 received 6 weeks of placebo syrup followed by 16 weeks of recombinant {alpha}2b-interferon [intron A (rIFN2b)| 5 x 106 u/m2 subcutaneously thrice weekly; and 31 received 6 weeks of syrup prednisone (0.6 mg/kg tailed to 0.2 mg/kg) followed by 16 weeks of recombinant {alpha}2b-interferon as above. The placebo/prednisone syrup was given on a double-blind basis. At 24 months of follow-up, persistent loss of hepatitis B virus DNA occurred in none of the children in the control group, in one child receiving recombinant {alpha}2b-interferon alone, who also seroconverted to anti-HBe and anti-HBs and in five children receiving interferon with steroid priming (p=0.0571 compared with controls), with four seroconverting to anti-HBe and one also seroconverting to anti-HBs. A rise of transaminases to above twice the upper limit of normal levels during the first 7 months of follow-up occurred in one subject in the control group, four in the group receiving {alpha}2b-interferon alone and nine in the group receiving recombinant {alpha}2b-interferon with steroid priming (p=0.0144 compared with controls). Side effects of the steroid were negligible; those of recombinant {alpha}2b-interferon were transient and acceptable. We conclude that 6 weeks of prednisone followed by 16 weeks of recombinant {alpha}2b-interferon is of use in inducing persistent loss of hepatitis B virus DNA (16.1 per cent) and e-seroconversion (12.9 per cent) in a proportion of Chinese HBsAg carrier children: the prednisone probably enhances the immunomodulatory effect of recombinant {alpha}2b-interferon.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 GutHome page
F Bortolotti, P Jara, C Barbera, G V Gregorio, A Vegnente, L Zancan, L Hierro, C Crivellaro, G M. Vergani, R Iorio, et al.
Long term effect of alpha interferon in children with chronic hepatitis B
Gut, May 1, 2000; 46(5): 715 - 718.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 NEJMHome page
C.-L. Lai, R.-N. Chien, N. W.Y. Leung, T.-T. Chang, R. Guan, D.-I. Tai, K.-Y. Ng, P.-C. Wu, J. C. Dent, J. Barber, et al.
A One-Year Trial of Lamivudine for Chronic Hepatitis B
N. Engl. J. Med., July 9, 1998; 339(2): 61 - 68.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 CLIN PEDIATRHome page
M. H. Kay and R. Wyllie
Therapeutic Applications of Alpha Interferon for Chronic Viral Hepatitis in Pediatric Patients
Clinical Pediatrics, July 1, 1995; 34(7): 372 - 379.
[PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.