Shuyan Chen1, Jialing Zhou1, Xiaoning Wu1, Tongtong Meng1, Bingqiong Wang1, Hui Liu2, Tailing Wang3, Xinyan Zhao1, Yuanyuan Kong1, Shanshan Wu1, Xiaojuan Ou1, Jidong Jia1, Yameng Sun4, Hong You5. 1. Liver Research Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine On Liver Cirrhosis, Beijing Friendship Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Digestive Diseases, Capital Medical University, 95 Yong-an Road, Xi-Cheng District, Beijing, 100050, China. 2. Department of Pathology, Beijing You-an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. 3. Department of Pathology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China. 4. Liver Research Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine On Liver Cirrhosis, Beijing Friendship Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Digestive Diseases, Capital Medical University, 95 Yong-an Road, Xi-Cheng District, Beijing, 100050, China. sunyamenggo@163.com. 5. Liver Research Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine On Liver Cirrhosis, Beijing Friendship Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Digestive Diseases, Capital Medical University, 95 Yong-an Road, Xi-Cheng District, Beijing, 100050, China. youhong30@sina.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Antiviral treatment with necleos(t)ide analogues contributes to histological improvement and virologic response in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. However, whether adding pegylated interferon alpha2a (Peg-IFN-α-2a) can help additional clinical benefit, particularly on fibrosis regression was still unknown. METHODS:Chronic hepatitis B patients with pre-treatment biopsy-proven Ishak fibrosis score 2, 3 or 4 were randomly assigned toentecavir (ETV) alone or ETV plus Peg-IFN-α-2a (Peg-IFN-α-2a add-on) group (1:2 ratio). Post-treatment liver biopsy was performed at week 78. Fibrosis regression was defined as decrease in Ishak fibrosis score by ≥ 1 stage or predominantly regressive categorized by P-I-R score. Serum HBV DNA levels were assessed at baseline and every 26 weeks, while HBsAg and HBeAg were evaluated at baseline and every 52 weeks. RESULTS:A total of 218 treatment-naive CHB patients were randomly assigned to ETV alone or Peg-IFN-α-2a add-on group. Totals of 155 patients (ETV alone: Peg-IFN-α-2a add-on, 47:108) were included in statistical analysis. Fibrosis regression rates were 68% (32/47) in the ETV alone and 56% (60/108) in Peg-IFN-α-2a add-on group (p = 0.144). Both groups showed a similar trend of virological suppression during the process of 104-week antiviral therapy (p = 0.132). HBeAg or HBsAg loss or seroconversion rates in the ETV alone group were lower than Peg-IFN-α-2a add-on group though without statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Peg-IFN-α-2a add-on therapy did not yield additional fibrosis regression and virologic response than ETV alone therapy.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Antiviral treatment with necleos(t)ide analogues contributes to histological improvement and virologic response in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. However, whether adding pegylated interferon alpha2a (Peg-IFN-α-2a) can help additional clinical benefit, particularly on fibrosis regression was still unknown. METHODS:Chronic hepatitis Bpatients with pre-treatment biopsy-proven Ishak fibrosis score 2, 3 or 4 were randomly assigned to entecavir (ETV) alone or ETV plus Peg-IFN-α-2a (Peg-IFN-α-2a add-on) group (1:2 ratio). Post-treatment liver biopsy was performed at week 78. Fibrosis regression was defined as decrease in Ishak fibrosis score by ≥ 1 stage or predominantly regressive categorized by P-I-R score. Serum HBV DNA levels were assessed at baseline and every 26 weeks, while HBsAg and HBeAg were evaluated at baseline and every 52 weeks. RESULTS: A total of 218 treatment-naive CHB patients were randomly assigned to ETV alone or Peg-IFN-α-2a add-on group. Totals of 155 patients (ETV alone: Peg-IFN-α-2a add-on, 47:108) were included in statistical analysis. Fibrosis regression rates were 68% (32/47) in the ETV alone and 56% (60/108) in Peg-IFN-α-2a add-on group (p = 0.144). Both groups showed a similar trend of virological suppression during the process of 104-week antiviral therapy (p = 0.132). HBeAg or HBsAg loss or seroconversion rates in the ETV alone group were lower than Peg-IFN-α-2a add-on group though without statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Peg-IFN-α-2a add-on therapy did not yield additional fibrosis regression and virologic response than ETV alone therapy.