Response and seroconversion rates among HBeAg-positive chronic HBV Egyptian patients treated with peginterferon alpha 2a (Pegasys), a single-centre experience

Background and study aimsWe aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of pegylated interferon alpha-2a 180 μg as a treatment for hepatitis B ‘e’ antigen (HBeAg)-positive genotype D chronic hepatitis B patients.Patients and methodsThirty patients attending the outpatient clinic at the National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute were treated with peg.interferon alpha-2a (180 μg) weekly for a period of 48 weeks. Pre-enrolment assessment was performed through biochemical, serological and quantitative HBV DNA testing. Liver biopsy was performed in all patients. Evaluation was done at weeks 12, 24 and 48 of treatment by liver enzymes, complete blood count (CBC), HBeAg/HBeAb and quantitative HBV DNA testing.ResultsAt the end of 48 weeks of treatment only three cases (10%) of the study population showed HBeAg seroconversion and an undetectable HBV DNA level. None of responders exhibited hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg) loss. There were five (16.7%) primary non-responders, four (13.3%) relapsers, four (13.3%) cases flared at week 12, and 14 (46.6%) cases who were non-responders. No specific predictors of response could be identified among patients.ConclusionOne year of peg. interferon alpha-2a 180 μg weekly led to HBeAg seroconversion and an undetectable HBV DNA level in 10% of cases. Considering the privilege of a finite duration of treatment, tailoring of treatment and proper patient selection is of great importance in considering this therapy as a first line of treatment among HBeAg-positive chronic HBV Egyptian patients.