Acute exacerbation during interferon alfa treatment of XXXX : frequency and relation to serum @entity2262 levels.

@entity1 @entity97 @entity1956 @entity2262 @entity6194 @entity4020 @entity493 @entity13211
BACKGROUND: We aimed to determine the frequency of @entity493 aminotransferase (ALT) elevation during interferon-alpha treatment, the so-called "flare", its relation to serum @entity2262 levels, and its impact on the outcome of treatment in @entity6194 . METHODS: The files of 53 treatment-naive @entity1 with @entity6194 (17 @entity1956 e antigen ( @entity13211 ) +ve, 36 @entity13211 -ve) who had been treated with 10 MU @entity4020 three times per week for 24 weeks were reviewed. We analyzed the fluctuations in serum ALT, @entity2262 , and @entity97 -DNA levels before, during, and after flare. RESULTS: We detected flare in 4/17 (24%) of the @entity13211 +ve and 7/34 (21%) of the @entity13211 -ve @entity1 . ALT level peaked between weeks 2 and 16 (mean, week 8). After flare, @entity97 -DNA disappeared in 5/7 (71%) @entity13211 -ve vs 3/4 (75%) @entity13211 +ve @entity1 (all seroconverted to anti-HBe). The overall sustained response rate was 41%: 55% in the @entity1 with flare, and 38% in those without ( P > 0.05). Basal serum @entity2262 levels were significantly higher in responders vs nonresponders (2.19 +/- 0.32 vs 1.78 +/- 0.34 mg/l, mean +/- SD; P < 0.005). In addition, during treatment, serum @entity2262 levels increased significantly only in responders, and the degree of increase was significantly higher in responders with flare vs responders without flare (3 +/- 0.33 vs 2.34 +/- 0.35 mg/l; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study, with a limited sample size, showed that, in @entity6194 , there is a trend for a higher response in @entity1 with exacerbation of @entity1956 with interferon-alpha treatment. However, the difference does not reach statistical significance to be of predictive value. On the other hand, serum @entity2262 levels before and during treatment may be useful in predicting the outcome.
