Short-term intravenous interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis B

Table 3 Comparison of response rates in patients with HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B at 6 mo after the treatment (%)

	INF-β(iv) 4 wk	INF-α(sc or im) 12-24 wk	Lamivudine 1 yr	Adefovir dipivoxil 48 wk	Pegylated interferon-α48 wk
Loss of serum HBV DNA	50	37	44	21	32
Loss of HBeAg	35	33	17-32	24	34
HbeAg seroconversion	31	Difference of 18	16-18	12	32
Loss of HBsAg		8	< 1	0	3
Normalization of ALT	42	Difference of 23	41-72	48	41
Histological improvement			49-56	53	38
Durability of the response		80-90	50-80		82