[Immunosuppressive therapy in patients with HBeAg-positive chronic active hepatitis B?]

The course of HBsAg-positive chronic active hepatitis was followed in 36 patients who were treated by immunosuppression and in 45 controls by means of serial determinations of HBeAg titers and by repeated biopsies of the liver. In the treated group remission occurred in 52% (HBeAg negative) resp. 48% (HBeAg positive); in the control group these percentages were almost identical, that is to say 61% resp. 41%. During therapy 5 out of 9 HBeAg positive patients and 7 out of 12 HBeAg negative patients developed cirrhosis of the liver as compared to 5 resp. 10, and 2 resp. 12 patients in the control group. Judging from these results it seems unlikely, that the course of HBsAg positive, chronic-active hepatitis in patients, whose serum shows a positive HBeAg titer by immunodiffusion, might be influenced in a positive way by immunosuppressive therapy.