R. Jin

TL;DR: Patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B had significantly higher rates of response, sustained for 24 weeks after the cessation of therapy, with peginterferon alfa-2a than with lamivudine.

TL;DR: The increased rate of HBsAg clearance in patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B supports the use of peginterferon alpha-2a as a first-line treatment.

TL;DR: Baseline ALT and HBV DNA levels, patient age, gender, and infecting HBV genotype significantly influenced combined response at 24 weeks post-treatment, in patients treated with peginterferon α-2a and/or lamivudine.

TL;DR: A finite course of peginterferon alfa-2a provides significant and sustained treatment benefit in Asian CHB patients, who have traditionally been regarded as difficult to treat.