Efficacy of peginterferon α- 2a in treatment of chronic hepatitis B resistant to multiple nucleos( t) ide analogues

Objective To investigate the efficacy of peginterferon alfa- 2a( PEG- IFN α- 2a) in the treatment of HBe Ag- positive chronic hepatitis B( CHB) resistant to multiple nucleos( t) ide analogues( NAs). Methods A total of 120 patients with HBe Ag- positive CHB resistant to multiple nucleos( t) ide analogues who were hospitalized or treated in the outpatient department in our hospital from August 2009 to February 2014 were randomly divided into two groups,with 60 patients in each group. The patients in the treatment group stopped NAs and were given PEG- IFNα- 2a for 48 weeks,and those in the control group received PEG- IFNα- 2a for 48 weeks in addition to the original therapeutic regimen with NAs. The changes in the serological markers of hepatitis B and HBV DNA were observed at weeks 24 and 48 of treatment and at 24 weeks after drug discontinuation. The chi- square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups,while comporison of continuous data was mode by t test. Results The patients in both groups achieved a satisfactory outcome. The serum HBe Ag clearance rate,HBe Ag seroconversion rate,HBV DNA clearance rate,and HBs Ag clearance rate showed no significant differences between the two groups at weeks 24 and 48 of treatment and at 24 weeks after treatment( all P > 0. 05). The adverse events that occurred during PEG- IFNα- 2a treatment were pyrexia,headache,inflammation at the injection site,diarrhea,neutropenia,anemia,and depression,and the disease is not serious. Conclusion PEG- IFNα- 2a is safe and effective in the treatment of CHB resistant to multiple NAs,and the patients can convert to PEG- IFNα- 2a directly as their antiviral therapy.