TY - JOUR
T1 - Diminished responsiveness of male homosexual chronic hepatitis B virus carriers with HTLV‐III antibodies to recombinant α‐interferon
AU - McDonald, J. A.
AU - Caruso, L.
AU - Karayiannis, P.
AU - Scully, L. J.
AU - Harris, J. R W
AU - Forster, G. E.
AU - Thomas, H. C.
PY - 1987
Y1 - 1987
N2 - In a randomized controlled trial, 41 chronic hepatitis B virus carriers were allocated, by opening numbered computerized randomization envelopes, to receive recombinant interferon‐α2A at three different doses: 2.5; 5.0, and 10.0 mU per m2. Thirty‐two patients received treatment (6 for 3 months, 26 for 6 months), and 9 patients were controls (received no treatment). Ninety‐three per cent of our patients were homosexual, and 41% had anti‐HTLV‐III in their serum None of the control patients lost HBeAg. In contrast, six of the anti‐HTLV‐III‐negative patients (33%) responded to treatment (p < 0.02): five of these responders were homosexual (p < 0.05). The response rate was greatest (44%) in the anti‐HTLV‐III‐negative patients who received 10 mU per m2 of recombinant interferon‐α2A. None of the anti‐HTLV‐III‐positive patients responded to treatment. The percentage reduction of hepatitis B virus DNA was significantly less in the anti‐HTLV‐III‐positive group in comparison to the anti‐HTLV‐III‐negative group at 1 and 4 months of treatment and at 3 months after the end of treatment (p < 0.05). These patients were younger (33 vs. 42 years, p < 0.02), had lower mean baseline AST values (42 vs. 80 IU per liter, p < 0.02) and tended to have milder histo‐logical disease Homosexual men with HBeAg‐positive chronic liver disease who are anti‐HTLV‐III‐positive appear to be less responsive to the direct antiviral and immunomodulatory effects of recombinant interferon‐α2A. This may be due to the subclinical immunosuppressive effects of co‐infection with HTLV‐III.
AB - In a randomized controlled trial, 41 chronic hepatitis B virus carriers were allocated, by opening numbered computerized randomization envelopes, to receive recombinant interferon‐α2A at three different doses: 2.5; 5.0, and 10.0 mU per m2. Thirty‐two patients received treatment (6 for 3 months, 26 for 6 months), and 9 patients were controls (received no treatment). Ninety‐three per cent of our patients were homosexual, and 41% had anti‐HTLV‐III in their serum None of the control patients lost HBeAg. In contrast, six of the anti‐HTLV‐III‐negative patients (33%) responded to treatment (p < 0.02): five of these responders were homosexual (p < 0.05). The response rate was greatest (44%) in the anti‐HTLV‐III‐negative patients who received 10 mU per m2 of recombinant interferon‐α2A. None of the anti‐HTLV‐III‐positive patients responded to treatment. The percentage reduction of hepatitis B virus DNA was significantly less in the anti‐HTLV‐III‐positive group in comparison to the anti‐HTLV‐III‐negative group at 1 and 4 months of treatment and at 3 months after the end of treatment (p < 0.05). These patients were younger (33 vs. 42 years, p < 0.02), had lower mean baseline AST values (42 vs. 80 IU per liter, p < 0.02) and tended to have milder histo‐logical disease Homosexual men with HBeAg‐positive chronic liver disease who are anti‐HTLV‐III‐positive appear to be less responsive to the direct antiviral and immunomodulatory effects of recombinant interferon‐α2A. This may be due to the subclinical immunosuppressive effects of co‐infection with HTLV‐III.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0023179103&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/hep.1840070417
DO - 10.1002/hep.1840070417
M3 - Article
C2 - 3038722
AN - SCOPUS:0023179103
SN - 0270-9139
VL - 7
SP - 719
EP - 723
JO - Hepatology
JF - Hepatology
IS - 4
ER -