OBJECTIVE: Interferon alfa (IFN-alpha) may retard hepatic fibrogenesis in adults with chronic hepatitis C. We evaluated prospectively four selected serum fibrosis markers before, immediately after and 12 months after IFN treatment of children with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). METHODS: Forty-seven children (mean age 8 years, range 4-16) with CHB underwent IFN-alpha treatment (3 MU t.i.w.) for 5 months. Fibrosis and inflammation were assessed blindly before and 12 months after the end of treatment. Serum laminin-2, collagen IV, MMP-2 and MMP-9/TIMP-1 complex were determined using automated assays. RESULTS: Twelve months after treatment had been discontinued levels of laminin-2, collagen IV and MMP-2 were decreased, and serum MMP-9/TIMP-1 complex was increased. Levels did not differ between sustained responders (42.5%) and non-responders. Similarly, fibrosis did not progress in both groups, whereas histological inflammation improved only in responders. CONCLUSIONS: A 5 month IFN-alpha treatment has no marked effect on histological liver fibrosis in children with CHB, irrespective of virological response. The evolution of serum fibrosis markers suggests they may be more sensitive to detect minor antifibrotic effects than semiquantitative follow-up histology.
OBJECTIVE: Interferon alfa (IFN-alpha) may retard hepatic fibrogenesis in adults with chronic hepatitis C. We evaluated prospectively four selected serum fibrosis markers before, immediately after and 12 months after IFN treatment of children with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). METHODS: Forty-seven children (mean age 8 years, range 4-16) with CHB underwent IFN-alpha treatment (3 MU t.i.w.) for 5 months. Fibrosis and inflammation were assessed blindly before and 12 months after the end of treatment. Serum laminin-2, collagen IV, MMP-2 and MMP-9/TIMP-1 complex were determined using automated assays. RESULTS: Twelve months after treatment had been discontinued levels of laminin-2, collagen IV and MMP-2 were decreased, and serum MMP-9/TIMP-1 complex was increased. Levels did not differ between sustained responders (42.5%) and non-responders. Similarly, fibrosis did not progress in both groups, whereas histological inflammation improved only in responders. CONCLUSIONS: A 5 month IFN-alpha treatment has no marked effect on histological liver fibrosis in children with CHB, irrespective of virological response. The evolution of serum fibrosis markers suggests they may be more sensitive to detect minor antifibrotic effects than semiquantitative follow-up histology.
Authors: Roopali Roy; Gwendolyn Louis; Kevin R Loughlin; Dmitri Wiederschain; Susan M Kilroy; Carolyn C Lamb; David Zurakowski; Marsha A Moses Journal: Clin Cancer Res Date: 2008-10-15 Impact factor: 12.531
Authors: Maria Elzbieta Sobaniec-Lotowska Sobaniec-Lotowska; Joanna Maria Lotowska; Dariusz Marek Lebensztejn Journal: World J Gastroenterol Date: 2007-06-07 Impact factor: 5.742
Authors: Mohammed A Mohammed; Manar F Seleim; Mohga S Abdalla; Hayat M Sharada; Abdel Hady A Abdel Wahab Journal: BMC Urol Date: 2013-05-14 Impact factor: 2.264
Authors: Kristin Wahl; William Rosenberg; Bernhard Vaske; Michael P Manns; Klaus Schulze-Osthoff; Matthias J Bahr; Heike Bantel Journal: PLoS One Date: 2012-12-19 Impact factor: 3.240