Response of Chronic B and C viral Hepatitis to IFN - ALFA

Abstract

To study the response to interferon Alpha in chronic Hepatitis (Monotherapy) a long term follow up study in patients admitted with chronic hepatitis admitted in Medical A unit Hayat Shaheed teaching Hospital, Peshawar was conducted. Ten patients with chronic hepatitis were selected, six HBs Ag positive and four Anti HCV positive. The patients were put on different doses of IFN-Alfa HBsAg positive cases were put on 4.5MIU thrice weekly and Anti HCV positive cases were put on 3MIU thrice weekly. Both gruops were treated for a period of six months. Main outcome measures: Histopathological improvement and ALT normalization in chronic hepatitis treated with IFN-Alfa for six months. The was a 50% response in anti HCV positive group and 50% response in HBsAg positive group. This study has got comparable results to contemporary studies. All patients with HBV or HCV infection, presenting with chronic hepatitis should be treated with IFN-Alfa, to avoid the long term sequel like cirrhosis, hepatitis failure and hepatocellular carcinoma in a significant number of patients.