[Personal experience in the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis B with recombinant interferon B alfa-2]

Twelve patients were treated with alpha-2 recombinant interferon during 4 months. Patients were given daily dose of 3 million units three times a week. Therapeutic effect expressed as the percentage of HBeAG seroconversion or by the loss of antibodies for the core antigen in IgM fraction and by the core antigen loss from hepatic tissue, was achieved in 41.6% of patients. Corticosteroids, administered before interferon, could improve therapeutic effect. Better response to therapy was observed in patients with higher serum transaminase levels and with histopathologically confirmed chronic hepatitis. Predictive value of each immunological parameter of therapeutic effect requires further study.