CHB) And C Research Articles

Significance of soluble PD-L1 in patients with chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C

Objective: The programmed death receptor 1/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) pathway can negatively regulate the immune response of the body, and serum soluble PD-L1 (sPD-L1) can reflect the expression level of PD-L1. This study aims to compare the expressional differences of sPD-L1 in serum between patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC) and further explore the factors influencing the clinical cure of CHB. Methods: 60 cases with CHB, 40 cases with CHC, and 60 healthy controls were selected. Serum levels of sPD-L1 were detected using an ELISA kit. The relationship between sPD-L1 levels and viral load, liver injury indicators, and others was analyzed in CHB and CHC patients. According to the distribution type of the data, a one-way ANOVA or Kruskal Wallis test as well as Pearson's correlation or Spearman's rank correlation analysis were performed. A difference of P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The serum sPD-L1 levels were significantly higher in CHB patients (414.6 ± 214.9) pg/ml than those in CHC patients (58.9 ± 122.1) pg/ml and the healthy control group (66.27 ± 24.43) pg/ml, and there was no statistically significant difference in serum sPD-L1 between CHC patients and the healthy control group. Further grouping and correlation analysis showed that the level of serum sPD-L1 was positively correlated with the content of HBsAg in CHB patients but not with HBV DNA, alanine transaminase, albumin, and other liver injury indicators. Additionally, there was no correlation between serum sPD-L1 levels, HCV RNA, and liver injury indicators in CHC patients. Conclusion: The serum sPD-L1 levels are significantly higher in CHB patients than those in the healthy control group and the CHC group, and there is a positive correlation between sPD-L1 levels and HBsAg. The persistent presence of HBsAg is an important mechanism for the activity of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway, indicating that the activity of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway may be an important factor that cannot be clinically cured in CHB as in CHC.

Intrahepatic immune infiltrate in chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C: Similar but not the same.

In chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC) infections, the composition of the immune cell microenvironment at the site of infection is poorly understood. Thus, our aim was to characterize and compare liver infiltrates to identify shared and exclusive hepatic immune components. Immunohistochemistry was performed on 26 CHB and 42 CHC liver biopsies to determine Th (CD4+), Th1 (T-bet+), Th17 (IL-17A+), Treg (Foxp3+) and CTL (CD8+) cells frequency in portal/periportal and intralobular areas and relate them to liver damage. CHB and CHC cases shared a portal/periportal CD4+ lymphocyte predominance and a lobular CD8+ lymphocyte majority. However, CHC exhibited a concomitant lobular T-bet+ cell dominance while in CHB FoxP3+ cells prevail. CHC disclosed higher frequencies of P/P FoxP3+, IL-17A+ and T-bet+ cells and intralobular CD4+, IL-17A+ and T-bet+ lymphocytes. HBeAg+ chronic hepatitis and CHC cell frequencies were similar except for lobular T-bet+ that remained higher among CHC cases. Comparison among cases with less severe liver disease revealed lower lymphocyte frequencies in CHB samples, while no differences were observed between patients with more severe stages. Interestingly, in CHB portal/periportal CD4+ and lobular CD4+, CD8+ and IL-17A+ cells were associated with severe hepatitis. Even when all studied populations were identified in both infections preferential lymphocyte frequencies and prevalence at different areas along with their association with liver damage highlighted that CHB and CHC immune responses are not the same.

Association between Aspartate Aminotransferase-to-Platelet Ratio Index and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis: A Meta-Analysis of Cohort Study.

Background and Aim Aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) is widely used in the assessment of fibrosis and cirrhosis, especially in patients with chronic hepatitis. However, the prognostic value of APRI in patients with chronic hepatitis with regard to the prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurrence remains controversial. The objective of this meta-analysis is to investigate the association between APRI and HCC risk on the basis of cohort studies. Methods We systematically reviewed PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure databases for relevant cohort studies up to May 1, 2019. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for total and subgroup analyses were calculated with Stata 12.0 software for the assessment of the relationship between APRI and HCC risk. Results A total of 13 studies, involving 8897 patients, were included in the meta-analysis, of which 11 explored the association between pretreatment APRI and HCC risk and four reported the relationship between posttreatment APRI and HCC risk. Pooled results showed that an elevated level of pretreatment APRI was associated with increased HCC risk (HR = 2.56, 95% CI: 1.78–3.68). When stratified by hepatitis type, high pretreatment APRI predicted HCC development in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC) but not in alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC). In the subgroup analyses of study region, cut-off value, sample size, and analysis method, the relationship between high pretreatment APRI and increased HCC risk was significant. Meanwhile, patients with a high level of posttreatment APRI suffered from high HCC risk (HR = 3.69, 95% CI: 2.52–5.42). Conclusion: Results revealed a significant association between elevated APRI and HCC development in patients with chronic hepatitis, suggesting that APRI might serve as a valuable predictor for HCC risk in patients with chronic hepatitis.

HCV and HBV prevalence based on home blood self-sampling and screening history in the general population in 2016: contribution to the new French screening strategy

BackgroundThe advent of effective direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), has prompted an assessment of the French Hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening strategy, which historically targeted high-risk groups. One of the options put forward is the implementation of combined (i.e., simultaneous) HCV, Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HIV screening for all adults at least once during their lifetime (“universal combined screening”). However, recent national survey-based data are lacking to guide decision-making regarding which new strategy to implement. Accordingly, we aimed to provide updated data for both chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and B (CHB) prevalence and for HCV and HBV screening history, using data from the BaroTest and 2016 Health Barometer (2016-HB) studies, respectively.Methods2016-HB was a national cross-sectional phone based health survey conducted in 2016 among 20,032 randomly selected individuals from the general population in mainland France. BaroTest was a virological sub-study nested in 2016-HB. Data collected for BaroTest were based on home blood self-sampling on dried blood spots (DBS).ResultsFrom 6945 analyzed DBS, chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and B (CHB) prevalence was estimated at 0.30% (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.13-0.70) and 0.30% (95% CI: 0.13-0.70), respectively. The proportion of individuals aware of their status was estimated at 80.6% (95% CI: 44.2-95.6) for CHC and 17.5% (95% CI: 4.9-46.4) for CHB. Universal combined screening would involve testing between 32.6 and 85.3% of 15-75 year olds according to whether we consider only individuals not previously tested for any of the three viruses, or also those already tested for one or two of the viruses.ConclusionsOur data are essential to guide decision-making regarding which new HCV screening recommendation to implement in France. They also highlight that efforts are still needed to achieve the WHO’s targets for eliminating these diseases. Home blood self-sampling may prove to be a useful tool for screening and epidemiological studies.

Hepatitis C can be cured: will hepatitis B become next?

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC) are one of the leading causes of cirrhosis and liver cancer with over a million of people dying annually from their consequences. In Russia CHB and CHC morbidity and related mortality show an upward trend. As a result of recent breakthroughs in antiviral therapeutics CHC became a curable disease. Modern therapeutics effectively suppress viral replication in CHB patients, but withdrawal of antivirals usually results in disease relapse. Loss of HBsAg required for the so called 'functional cure' is a very rare event. Moreover, 'complete cure' when the virus is entirely eliminated from the body is not possible due to a persistent form of covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in hepatocytes refractory to modern antivirals. Today, there is a plethora of new promising medications being at different stages of development that target different steps of viral life cycle, including inhibitors of interaction between HBV and its entry receptor NTCP, inhibitors of HBV cccDNA, inhibitors of nucleocapsid assembly, technologies of genome editing (TALENs, CRISPR/Cas etc) and RNA-interference. In addition to direct acting antivirals, there is a number of approaches aimed at enhancement of the innate and adaptive immune responses. In experimental conditions, some of these approaches or their combinations help to achieve functional cure. However, complete elimination of the virus is possible only using technologies of genome editing, capable of specific cccDNA degradation. Nuclease systems are currently at their early stages of development, and there is a long way to prove their efficacy and safety. Nevertheless, highly promising results of the recent years leave no doubt that CRISPR/Cas systems and similar technologies can become the basis of CHB therapy.

Assessment of awareness about the epidemiology, outcomes, and therapy of chronic hepatitis B and C in adolescents and adults

To estimate the level of knowledge in adults and adolescents about the issues related to viral hepatitis B and C: the transmission modes, course, and outcomes of acute and chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC), as well as about current measures for their prevention and treatment. A total of 850 dwellers of Kirov and the Kirov Region were anomalously surveyed using an original questionnaire in 2013- 2015. The questionnaire included 24 questions on the etiology, epidemiology, outcomes, prevention, and treatment of CHB and CHC and on the sources of information. Persons younger than 16 years, people who had medical specialties, and those who were studying at a higher or secondary medical institution were excluded from the study. Low levels of knowledge about the epidemiology, course, and outcomes of CHB and CHC were found in the adolescents and adults. 76.4% and 73.9% of the respondents had no clear idea as to the modes and factors of transmission of hepatitis B and C, respectively. A lack of knowledge of the issues associated with poor CHB and CHC outcomes (cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma) was revealed in 84.8 and 76.2%, respectively. 81.8% of the respondents were well aware of the existence and necessity of vaccination against hepatitis B. 40.8% of the survey participants misbelieved that hepatitis C vaccine had been designed and used. A significant portion of the adult population is poorly aware of the problem of viral hepatitis B and C and needs to continue health education for the development and strengthening of a negative attitude towards narcotics and promiscuity; to combat false ideas about viral hepatitis; and enhance motivation for the specific and nonspecific prevention of hepatitis B and C.

MicroRNA-based diagnostic tools for advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B and C.

Staging fibrosis is crucial for the prognosis and to determine the rapid need of treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC). The expression of 13 fibrosis-related microRNAs (miRNAs) (miR-20a, miR-21, miR-27a, miR-27b, miR-29a, miR-29c, miR-92a, miR-122, miR-146a, miR-155, miR-221, miR-222, and miR-224) was analyzed in 194 serums and 177 liver biopsies of patients with either CHB or CHC to develop models to diagnose advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis (Metavir F3-F4). In CHB patients, the model (serum miR-122, serum miR-222, platelet count and alkaline phosphatase) was more accurate than APRI and FIB-4 to discriminate in between mild and moderate fibrosis (F1-F2) and F3-F4 (AUC of CHB model: 0.85 vs APRI: 0.70 and FIB-4: 0.81). In CHC patients, the model (hepatic miR-122, hepatic miR-224, platelet count, albumin and alanine aminotransferase) was more accurate than both APRI and FIB-4 to discriminate in between patients with F3-F4 and F1-F2 (AUC of the CHC model = 0.93 vs APRI: 0.86 and FIB-4: 0.79). Most of the miRNAs tested were differentially expressed in patients with CHB and CHC. In particular, serum miR-122 was 28-fold higher in patients with CHB than in those with CHC. Both CHB and CHC models may help for the diagnosis of advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis (F3-F4).

Hepatology Clinical.

Hepatology Clinical.

Profile of expression of certain markers of apoptosis in chronic hepatitis C and hepatitis B patients in an Egyptian population.

Increased peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) apoptosis during viral hepatitis has been suggested to cause impaired regulation of the immune response and maintenance of the infection. The purpose of this work was to study the expression of some apoptotic markers in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC) infections in order to understand the underlying mechanisms of immune failure and viral persistence. This study aims to evaluate the level of PBMC apoptosis and the expression of the apoptosis-related proteins Fas and Bcl-2 in CHB and CHC patients. This case control study was carried out on 38 cases (group I: 20 chronic HCV patients; group II: 18 chronic HBV patients) attending the Tropical Medicine Clinic, Mansoura University Hospital, in addition to 10 healthy controls. Morphological assessment of apoptosis of cultured PBMCs was done. The level of Fas and Bcl-2 expression by PBMCs was detected using flow cytometry. An increased level of apoptosis correlated with increased Fas expression, but no increase in Bcl-2 expression was found on the surface of PBMCs in CHC and CHB patients compared to controls. No significant difference in the level of apoptosis, Fas, or Bcl2 expression between CHC and CHB patients was detected. Modulation of apoptosis, particularly by manipulation of Fas receptor activation, may be of therapeutic benefit in chronic CHB and CHC.

Improving Healthcare Systems to Reduce Healthcare Disparities in Viral Hepatitis.

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC) represent significant public health problems worldwide. Combined, over 7 million persons in the USA are chronically infected with either the hepatitis B or the hepatitis C virus. Although the populations affected by the viruses differ, both CHB and CHC are ideal conditions for preventive screening because of a high prevalence and low rate of diagnosis; an early asymptomatic period; highly sensitive and specific test; and treatments which have been shown to result in improved clinical outcomes including liver-related mortality and hepatocellular carcinoma. Improving healthcare delivery for CHB and CHC requires interventions that will increase screening for the infections, expanded capacity for evaluation and monitoring of the infection, and ultimately improved access to treatment. Many of these interventions may leverage opportunities within electronic health records, but must also address unique social, cultural, and language barriers that may prevent effective implementation of novel interventions. Herein, we will review current knowledge related to strategies employed to improve healthcare systems to reduce disparities in viral hepatitis.

FINAL RESULTS OF A PROSPECTIVE TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR CHRONIC VIRAL HEPATITIS B AND C: HEALTH SERVICES DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (HSDP)

Background and Aims: Chronic Hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC) lead to chronic liver disease and complications if left untreated. A Health Services Development Program (HSDP) was approved by the Ministry of Health to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment and the outcomes of CHB and CHC.Methods: Eighty-three CHB and twenty-one CHC patients were included. Inclusion criteria were HBVDNA>105 copies/ml, abnormal Liver Function Tests (LFTs), cirrhosis and positive HCVRNA. Daily Lamivudine with/without Adefovir rescue therapy and pegylated interferon with ribavirin were prescribed. Exclusion criteria were hepatocellular carcinoma, renal failure, CHB/CHC/HIV co-infection. Outcomes measured were: proportion of patients who i) normalize LFTs, ii) achieve sustained virological remission, iii) improve Child-Pugh (CP) score, iv) develop liver related complications and v) die.Results: CHB: Thirty-one patients (37%) had baseline cirrhosis. The mean therapy duration was 67.5 months. At the end of study, 100% had undetectable HBVDNA and 98% had LFTs normalization. The majority (87%) had stable C-P score, of whom 11.42% had improvement of score >2 points. Lamivudine resistance developed in 59.5% requiring add-on Adefovir therapy. Eleven patients (13%) developed end stage liver disease complications. CHC: There were 21 patients (genotype1=62%). Eight patients (38%) had baseline cirrhosis. LFTs improved in 18 patients (86%). The overall end-of-treatment response and SVR were 95% and 86% while SVR for genotype 1 and 2/3 were 92% and 75% respectively. No major liver related complications or mortality were noted.Conclusion: It was a successful program with excellent outcomes of disease complication free in 87% of CHB patients.

P0510 : Direct comparisons of fibrotest, APRI, FIB-4, and transient elastography (TE) for the diagnosis of cirrhosis and fibrosis, in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and B (CHB) using intention to diagnose and bayesian methods. A systematic review

P0510 : Direct comparisons of fibrotest, APRI, FIB-4, and transient elastography (TE) for the diagnosis of cirrhosis and fibrosis, in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and B (CHB) using intention to diagnose and bayesian methods. A systematic review

Role of Neopterin in Determining the Efficacy of Interferon Therapy in Chronic Hepatitis B and C

Neopterin (NP) is a pteridine derivative that is secreted as a response to gamma interferon stimulation. The purpose in this study was to investigate the relationship between the NP levels and the disease and determining the efficacy of an interferon (IFN) therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC). The study was conducted on 49 cases with CHB, 30 cases with CHC and 72 healthy individuals. Serum samples were taken from the patients receiving treatment at the beginning and at the end of the treatment and only once from the healthy individuals in the control group. The NP levels were found significantly higher in the patients with CHB and CHC than those in the control group. When the pre and post-treatment serum NP levels of the patients who received an interferon therapy were compared, the post-treatment NP levels of the patients who responded to the treatment were significantly higher. When a comparison was made before and after treatment, a decrease was seen in the NP levels in most of the infections due to decreased activation of the immune system. However, when the disease was treated with an IFN therapy, which is a treatment stimulating the immune system, the post-treatment NP level remained high.

P662 FLUORESCEIN LISICOL (NRL972) AS AN IN VIVO MARKER OF LIVER DYSFUNCTION

Material and methods: NRL972-testing is based on the course of the plasma concentrations of NRL972 after a single i.v.-injection of 2 mg NRL972. Elimination is approximated by the ratio of the concentrations 30 and 10 minutes after dosing. Such testing was performed in HV (N: 70) and 240 patients with various forms of hepatic disease: NASH, acute hepatitis A (AHA) and B (AHB), chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC), and patients with hepatic cirrhosis (LC) Child-class A, B, and C. ACPS Applied Clinical Pharmacology Services St Ivan Rilski University Hospital

A1-4: Pragmatic and Adaptive Methods of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Cohort Identification for Comparative Effectiveness Research

Background/Aims Accurate EMR-based cohort identification is crucial in the conduct of comparative effectiveness research. CheCS is a longitudinal study of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC) infection being conducted at 4 HMORN sites. Subjects are identified using automated EMR-based ICD-9 diagnosis and laboratory inclusion criteria, and about 12,000 patients were identified in the initial cohort selection. After confirmation of CHB/ CHC status through chart abstraction, we found false discovery rates (FDR) were 13.6% for CHB and 11.3% for CHC. An adaptive approach was proposed to optimize the EMR-based cohort selection.

Health-related quality of life of Italian adolescents and young adults with chronic viral hepatitis

Background: It has been reported that the quality of life (QoL) of children with chronic viral hepatitis (CVH) is deteriorated during interferon treatment, although QoL returned to baseline after stopping therapy. Poor data are available on the impact of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and B (CHB) on QoL of children treatment-naïve or after a long time after stopping treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the health-related QoL (HRQoL) of treatment-naïve or previously treated vertically infected adolescents and young adults with CVH, and to analyze differences between patients with CHC and CHB.

How Many Valid Measurements Are Necessary to Assess Liver Fibrosis Using FibroScan® in Patients with Chronic Viral Hepatitis? An Analysis of Subjects with at Least 10 Valid Measurements

PurposeUsing FibroScan® to obtain a reliable liver stiffness measurement (LSM) may require more than 10 valid measurements (VMs), according to the manufacturer's recommendations. However, this requirement lacks scientific evidence in support thereof. We investigated the minimal number of VMs required to assess liver fibrosis without significant loss of accuracy in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC) and predictors of discordance between LSM and liver biopsy (LB).Materials and MethodsBetween January 2005 and December 2009, we prospectively enrolled 182 patients with CHB and 68 patients with CHC who were to undergo LB and LSM before starting antiviral treatment. Only LSMs with at least 10 VMs were considered reliable. The Batts and Ludwig scoring system was used for histologic assessment.ResultsThe mean age and body mass index were 46.0 years and 23.4 kg/m2 in patients with CHB and 49.7 years and 23.1 kg/m2 in those with CHC, respectively. The median elasticity scores from the first 3, first 5, and all VMs taken significantly predicted fibrosis stages ≥F2 and F4 (all p<0.05) without significant differences (all p>0.05 by DeLong's method). Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was the only predictor of discordance in fibrosis stage as estimated by the median elasticity score from the first 3 VMs and by LB in patients with CHB, whereas no significant predictor was identified in those with CHC.ConclusionAfter comparison of patients who had more than 10 valid measurements for LSM, three VMs may be enough to assess liver fibrosis using LSM without significant loss of accuracy in patients with CHC and patients with CHB. However, ALT should be considered when interpreting LSM for patients with CHB.

Identification of Osteopontin as a Novel Marker for Early Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The aim of this study was to identify a biomarker that could improve alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) performance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance among patients with cirrhosis. We performed proteomic profiling of plasma from patients with cirrhosis or HCC and validated selected candidate HCC biomarkers in two geographically distinct cohorts to include HCC of different etiologies. Mass spectrometry profiling of highly fractionated plasma from 18 cirrhosis and 17 HCC patients identified osteopontin (OPN) as significantly up-regulated in HCC cases, compared to cirrhosis controls. OPN levels were subsequently measured in 312 plasma samples collected from 131 HCC patients, 76 cirrhosis patients, 52 chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and B (CHB) patients, and 53 healthy controls in two independent cohorts. OPN plasma levels were significantly elevated in HCC patients, compared to cirrhosis, CHC, CHB, or healthy controls, in both cohorts. OPN alone or in combination with AFP had significantly better area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, compared to AFP, in comparing cirrhosis and HCC in both cohorts. OPN overall performance remained higher than AFP in comparing cirrhosis and the following HCC groups: HCV-related HCC, HBV-associated HCC, and early HCC. OPN also had a good sensitivity in AFP-negative HCC. In a pilot prospective study including 22 patients who developed HCC during follow-up, OPN was already elevated 1 year before diagnosis. OPN was more sensitive than AFP for the diagnosis of HCC in all studied HCC groups. In addition, OPN performance remained intact in samples collected 1 year before diagnosis.

Serum markers for necroinflammatory activity in patients with chronic viral hepatitis and normal or mildly elevated aminotransferase levels

Reports on the usefulness of serum markers for predicting liver necroinflammation are limited. The aim of this study was to determine the serum markers that predict significant inflammation in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC) and normal or mildly elevated serum aminotransferase levels. Two hundred twenty-seven patients with CHB or CHC with normal or mildly elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels (≤60 IU/L) were enrolled in this study. Significant inflammation was defined as inflammatory grade ≥3 activities using the Batt-Ludwig scoring system. The correlation between liver histology and serum markers of liver inflammation was analysed. Forty-eight (21.1%) and eight patients (3.5%) had grade 3 and 4 inflammation respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that age, platelet coun, and AST, ALT, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, alkaline phosphatase, hyaluronic acid, haptoglobin, apolipoprotein A1 and procollagen III N-terminal peptide levels were significantly different between the patients with and without significant inflammation. There were no significant differences in the cytokeratin-18 fragment levels between the two groups. On the basis of multivariate analysis, the AST and apolipoprotein A1 levels and stage of fibrosis were highly predictive of significant inflammation. Using AST and apolipoprotein cut-off values ≥44 IU/L and ≤100 ng/ml, respectively, the presence of significant inflammation was predicted with high specificity (96.5%) and with a negative predictive value of 76.3%. The AST and apolipoprotein A1 levels were shown to be independent predictors of significant inflammatory activities in patients with CHB and CHC and normal or mildly elevated aminotransferase levels.

Comparison of adverse effects related to pegylated interferon-based therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C in Taiwan

Pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN)-based therapy is effective in treating chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC) but frequently induces adverse events (AEs). This study was conducted to compare the incidence of Peg-IFN-based therapy-associated AEs in Taiwanese patients with CHB and CHC. Fifty-six patients with CHB and 103 age-, sex- and treatment duration-matched patients with CHC were enrolled. Patients with CHB were treated with Peg-IFN-α-2a 180μg/week for 24weeks (HBeAg(+), n=31) or 48weeks (HBeAg(-), n=25); patients with CHC were treated with Peg-IFN-α-2a 180μg/week plus ribavirin 1,000-1,200mg/day for 24weeks (genotype 2/3, n=57) or 48weeks (genotype 1, n=46). Significantly higher incidences of Peg-IFN-related AEs, especially neuropsychiatric symptoms, and ribavirin-associated skin manifestations were observed in patients with CHC compared with those with CHB, with either the 24- or 48-week regimen. Frequencies of laboratory abnormalities, except for anemia, were comparable in both groups. Neither group showed overt hepatic decompensation. Frequency of dose reduction was similar between the groups. Substantially higher rates of early termination and severe AEs were observed in patients with CHC. Patients with CHB treated with Peg-IFN had fewer AEs than patients with CHC treated with Peg-IFN/ribavirin. All patients were treated safely.