The effect of pegylated interferon-α on the treatment of lamivudine resistant chronic HBeAg positive hepatitis B virus infection

In the largest cohort study to date, pegylated interferon-α therapy showed marginal efficacy in the presence of lamivudine resistance but such therapy may be beneficial in patients with only small amounts of mutant virus. In our opinion, an analysis of the patient subgroup harbouring an YMDD-mutation should be included in all future studies of pegylated interferon-α in chronic hepatitis B.