Prediction of response to interferon α-1b in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B

Abstract

Quantification of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in serum may be of clinical importance in predicting treatment response towards interferon α (IFNα). To explore the predictive role of serum quantitative HBsAg in predicting treatment response towards IFNα-1b in hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B patients. Seventy patients received 5 MU of IFNα-1b three times weekly for 48 weeks; the quantification of HBsAg was carried out at baseline, weeks 12, 24, 36, and 48 during treatment. At the end of treatment, the predictive role of quantitative HBsAg in predicting treatment response towards IFNα-1b was evaluated. From weeks 12 to 48, the serum hepatitis B virus DNA and HBsAg levels were positively correlated; the HBsAg levels were lower in responders than those in nonresponders and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The HBsAg cutoff of 6109.01 IU/ml in serum at week 24 had a positive predictive value of 37.5% and a negative predictive value of 94.7%, and with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.816. On-treatment, serum HBsAg had a high predictive value to predict treatment response towards IFNα-1b.