[The use of recombinant alfa-2 interferon in treating patients with acute and chronic viral hepatitis B]

Efficiency was assessed of antiviral therapy with recombinant alfa-2 interferon in 90 patients with acute viral hepatitis B and 18 patients with chronic active hepatitis (ChAH). Intramuscular administration of interferon 1,000,000 to 3,000,000 units, during the first days of the illness over 10 to 14 days significantly reduced the duration of HBs-antigenemia and accelerated the regression of clinical and biochemical symptoms of the disease. These positive changes coincided with augmentation in the peripheral blood of T-suppressors and active T-cells. Antiviral therapy in 18 ChAH patients was given at a course dose of at least 100,000 units of interferon combined with prednisolone. The criteria for the above therapy efficiency included lowering of titres and/or disappearance from serum of HBe and DNA HBv, HBe--anti-HBe seroconversion, normalization of A1AT activity. Of the 17 patients, 12 (70.6%) demonstrated a positive effect of antiviral therapy, 10 subject presenting with a positive response to therapy had their A1AT activity completely normalized.