Response predictors to treatment with pegylated interferon in chronic hepatitis B

The clinical and epidemiological importance of chronic B hepatitis is currently unquestionable as a cause of end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. Recently, predictors of treatment response of this disease have been studied, both before and during the course of medication. Therapy stopping rules have been proposed, which may be useful in patients presenting poor treatment tolerance. This review discusses the treatment response predictors usefulness, with emphasis on ALT, quantitative HBsAg and HBeAg, quantitative HBV-DNA and HBV genotype.