Peginterferon Alfa-2a (40KD) Plus Lamivudine or Entecavir in Children With Immune-Tolerant Chronic Hepatitis B.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-1-2021

Identifier

DOI: 10.1097/MPG.0000000000003118

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Treatment guidelines for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) do not recommend antiviral therapy for patients in the immune-tolerant phase of the disease, which generally occurs in children who acquire hepatitis B virus (HBV) vertically and may last for decades. On the basis of promising results of a pilot study, we conducted a randomized, controlled, multicenter study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of antiviral therapy in children and adolescents with immune-tolerant CHB.

METHODS: Fifty-nine children aged 3 to20,000 IU/mL and persistently normal alanine aminotransferase levels were randomized to 56 weeks of antiviral therapy with an oral nucleoside analogue [entecavir or lamivudine], combined with subcutaneous peginterferon alfa-2a from week 8, or 80 weeks of untreated observation. The primary efficacy outcome was hepatitis B surface antigen loss 24 weeks post-treatment in the antiviral therapy group or at the end of observation in the control group.

RESULTS: Enrollment was terminated after the results of two similar studies showed that similar antiviral regimens were ineffective in children and adults with immune-tolerant CHB. At 24 weeks post-treatment, 1 of 26 patients in the antiviral treatment group experienced HBsAg loss (vs none of 33 patients in the control group). No serious treatment-related adverse events were reported, and no patients discontinued treatment because of adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS: The antiviral regimen evaluated in this trial had an acceptable tolerability profile, but was ineffective in children and adolescents with immune-tolerant CHB.

Journal Title

Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition

Volume

73

Issue

2

First Page

156

Last Page

160

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