Dual-centre, double-blind, randomised trial of lymphoblastoid interferon alpha with or without steroid pretreatment in children with chronic hepatitis B.
Liver
; 15(3): 143-8, 1995 Jun.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-7674841
ABSTRACT
Thirty-five children with chronic HBV infection, HBV-DNA and eAg serum positivity, and HBcAg in liver tissue were treated with lymphoblastoid human interferon alpha with (16 cases) or without (19 cases) prednisolone pretreatment. The patients were double-blind randomized to receive steroid or placebo for 4 weeks, followed after 2 weeks by 5 or 10 MU/m2 interferon for 12 weeks. The e anti-e seroconversion rate reached 48%, which is much higher than the spontaneous seroconversion rate. The influence of "prednisolone priming" was not statistically significant. HBeAg clearance was similar in both groups (44% after prednisolone/interferon and 53% after interferon alone). The response to either treatment did not correlate with the pretreatment serum transaminase. HBV-DNA or degree of histological activity. Interferon was well tolerated, the side effects being less severe than in adults, and never led to suspension of the treatment.
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Prednisolone
/
Interferon-alpha
/
Hepatitis B
Type of study:
Clinical_trials
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Liver
Year:
1995
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Italy