OCLC Sample Record
N O : 9 7 1 1 9 2 9 4
A U : Farci P; Mandas A; Coiana A; Lai M E; Desmet V; Van Eyken P; Gobi Y; Caruso L; Scaccabarozzi S; et
a l
C S : Hepatitis Viruses Section, Lab. Infectious Diseases, Natl. Inst. Allergy Infectious Diseases, Natl. Inst.
Health, Build. 7, Rm 200, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
T I :
Treatment of chronic hepatitis D with interferon alfa-2a.
S O : New England Journal of Medicine 330(2). 88-94.
P D : 1 9 9 4 .
S N : 0 0 2 8 - 4 7 9 3
L N : E n g l i s h
S F : Biological Abstracts Vol. 097 Iss. 006 Ref. 069169
A B : Background and Methods. Chronic hepatitis D is a severe and rapidly progressive liver disease for
which no therapy has been proved effective. To evaluate the efficacy of treatment with interferon, we
studied 42 patients with chronic hepatitis D who were randomly assigned to receive either 9 million
or 3 million units of recombinant interferon alfa-2a (three times a week for 48 weeks) or no
treatment. Results. By the end of the treatment period, serum alanine aminotransferase values had
become normal in 10 of 14 patients receiving 9 million units (71 percent), as compared with 4 of
14 treated with 3 million units (29 percent, P = 0.029) and 1 of 13 untreated controls (8 percent,
P = 0.001). Seven patients treated with the higher dose of interferon (50 percent) had a complete
response (normal levels of alanine aminotransferase and no detectable serum hepatitis delta virus
(HDV) RNA), as compared with three of those who received the lower dose (21 percent, P = 0.1 18),
and none of the controls (P = 0.004). Treatment with 9 million units of interferon was associated
with a marked improvement in the histologic findings (reduced periportal necrosis and portal
and lobular inflammation), whereas in the untreated controls there was considerable histologic
deterioration. In 5 of the 10 patients treated with 9 million units of interferon whose alanine
aminotransferase values became normal, the biochemical responses persisted for up to 4 years
(mean, 39 months), but the effects of treatment on viral replication were not sustained. In contrast,
none of those who received 3 million units and none of the untreated controls had a sustained
biochemical or virologic response. Conclusions. In about half the patients with chronic hepatitis D
treated with high doses of interferon alfa-2a (9 million units three times a week for 48 weeks), the
serum alanine aminotransferase level becomes normal, HDV RNA becomes undetectable in serum,
and there is histologic improvement. However, a relapse is common after treatment has been stopped.
D E : RESEARCH ARTICLE; HUMAN; INTERFERON-ALPHA-2A ANTIVIRAL-DRUG; HORMONE-DRUG;
ALANINE AMINOTRANSFERASE; VIRAL RNA; POST-TREATMENT RELAPSE
C C : 1 0 0 0 6 * Clinical Biochemistry; General Methods and Applications
1 0 8 0 8 * EnzymesPhysiological Studies
1 2 5 0 8 * Pathology, General and MiscellaneousInflammation and Inflammatory Disease
1 2 5 1 2 * Pathology, General and MiscellaneousTherapy (1971- )
1 3 0 1 2 * MetabolismProteins, Peptides and Amino Acids
1 3 0 1 4 * MetabolismNucleic Acids, Purines and Pyrimidines
1 4 0 0 6 * Digestive SystemPathology
1 5 0 0 8 * Blood, Blood-Forming Organs and Body FluidsLymphatic Tissue and Reticuloendothelial
S y s t e m
1 7 0 0 2 * Endocrine SystemGeneral
2 2 0 0 5 * PharmacologyClinical Pharmacology (1972- )
2 2 0 1 4 * PharmacologyDigestive System
2 2 0 1 6 * PharmacologyEndocrine System
3 6 0 0 6 * Medical and Clinical MicrobiologyVirology
3 8 5 0 6 * ChemotherapyAntiviral Agents
1 0 0 6 2
Biochemical StudiesNucleic Acids, Purines and Pyrimidines
1 0 0 6 4
Biochemical StudiesProteins, Peptides and Amino Acids
1 0 0 6 8
Biochemical StudiesCarbohydrates
3 1 5 0 0
Genetics of Bacteria and Viruses
B C : 0 2 6 0 0
Animal Viruses-General (1993- )
8 6 2 1 5
H o m i n i d a e
S T : Microorganisms; Viruses; Animals; Chordates; Vertebrates; Mammals; Primates; Humans
S a m p l e R e c o r d s b y S e a r c h S y s t e m
3 1
