PEG-IFN in HBV Patients With Incomplete Response to NA

Inclusion Criteria

• •Chronic hepatitis B (HBsAg positive \> 6 months)
• •HBeAg positive, anti-HBe negative within one month prior to initiation of peginterferon alfa-2b
• •HBV DNA \< 2000 IU/ml during nucleos(t)ide analogue treatment within one month prior to initiation of peginterferon alfa-2b
• •Compensated liver disease
• •Age \> 18 years
• •Written informed consent
• •Immune suppressive treatment within the previous 6 months
• •Contra-indications for alfa-interferon therapy like suspected hypersensitivity to interferon or Peginterferon or any known pre-existing medical condition that could interfere with the patient's participation in and completion of the study.
• •Pregnancy, breast-feeding
• •Other significant medical illness that might interfere with this study: significant pulmonary dysfunction in the previous 6 months, malignancy other than skin basocellular carcinoma in previous 5 years, immunodeficiency syndromes (e.g. HIV positivity, auto-immune diseases, organ transplants other than cornea and hair transplant)
• •Any medical condition requiring, or likely to require chronic systemic administration of steroids, during the course of the study
• •Substance abuse, such as alcohol (\>80 g/day), I.V. drugs and inhaled drugs in the past 2 years.
• •Any other condition which in the opinion of the investigator would make the patient unsuitable for enrollment, or could interfere with the patient participating in and completing the study