Study of therapeutic efficiency, efficient factor and prognostic value of recombinant interferon α-2b for chronic hepatitis B

Objective To observe the therapeutic efficiency of recombinant interferon α-2b(rIFNα-2b, Intron A) and to investigate the therapeutic efficient factor and prognostic value of rIFNα-2b in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Methods 88 cases of chronic hepatitis B were equally divided into treatment and control group. In the treatment group,44 patients were subcutaneous injected with 3 million units (3×10 6 U) of rIFNα-2b, three times weekly for 3 months. No antivirus treatment was adminstrated for patients of the control group. 42 cases of opening group were divided into 3×106 U group and 6×106 U group with rIFNα-2b injection, three times weekly or once another day for three months. Results The efficientive rate was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control. At the end of treatment and after follow-up of 6 months and 1 to 7 years, the efficient rate in the treatment group was 55.8%, 58.8%, 61.9%, 57.9%, 58.5%, 56.1%, 52.6%, 45.5% and 50.0% respectively and that in the control was 13.6%, 13.6%,15.9%, 15.9%, 13.6%, 15.0%, 15.2%, 11.1% and 7.7% respectively ( P0.05 or P0.01). The effective response rates were also significantly higher in patients with chronic active hepatitis, higher initial ALT level (more than 100 IU/L), shorter disease course (less than 3 years), female sex and pyrexia side effect than in the corresponding patients (P0.05). The long period prognosis was better in rIFNα-2b treated patients and effective response cases than in the control group and no response cases (P0.05). Conclusions Our results suggest that rIFNα-2b is certainly an effective anti-hepatitis drug. IFN treatment can improve the long period prognosis of patients with chronic hepatitis B.