Treatment of Chronic Delta Hepatitis: A Nine-Year Retrospective Analysis

authors:

avatar Serda Gulsun 1 , * , avatar Recep Tekin 2 , avatar Fatma Bozkurt 2

Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Diyarbakir State Hospital, serdagulsun@gmail.com, Turkey
Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Dicle University, Turkey
Hepatitis Monthly: Vol.11, issue 9; 731-735
article type: Research Article
received: April 5, 2011
accepted: June 29, 2011
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5812/kowsar.1735143X.728

how to cite: Gulsun S, Tekin R, Bozkurt F. Treatment of Chronic Delta Hepatitis: A Nine-Year Retrospective Analysis. Hepat Mon. 2011;11(9): 731-735. https://doi.org/10.5812/kowsar.1735143X.728.

Abstract

Background: Chronic delta hepatitis is the most severe form of viral hepatitis, for which interferon administration is the only available treatment. However, the efficacy of interferon treatment is affected by the dose and duration of treatment, and relapse rates are high.
Objectives: In this study, we sought to evaluate the efficacy of treatment with pegylated interferon and observe the relapse rates of delta hepatitis after treatment.
Patients and Methods: Forty-six patients with chronic delta hepatitis were retrospectively studied between January 2002 and December 2010. Patients were evaluated for biochemical, virological, and histological responses. They were then followed-up for at least 1 year after discontinuation of the treatment.
Results: All the 46 patients in the study received PEG-IFN therapy. Of the 46 patients, 25 were treated with PEG-IFN for 1 year and 21 were treated for 2 years. Sixteen patients (34.7%) showed a biochemical response, 27 (58.6%) showed a virological response, and 39 (84.7%) showed a histological response. Sustained virological and biochemical responses were achieved in 41% and 47.8% of the patients, respectively. Sixteen (84.2%) patients of the 19 with high levels of hepatitis delta virus RNA (HDV RNA) (HDV RNA level > 1 × 105) and 10 (71.4%) of the 14 patients with high titers of hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg) (HbsAg > 102 IU/mL) at the beginning of the treatment showed relapse after treatment.
Conclusions: We found no significant differences between 1-year and 2-year treatments. However, the relapse rate was lower in the 2-year treatment group. Higher HDV RNA and HbsAg levels before treatment were associated with higher relapse rates. Younger age was a significant factor in predicting response.

Keywords: Chronic delta hepatitis; Pegylated interferon; Treatment

  • Implication for health policy/practice/research/medical education:
    There are still many unresolved questions regarding delta hepatitis. This study aims to investigate every aspect of delta hepatitis and recommended all clinicians engaged in the treatment of patients with hepatitis delta.
  • Please cite this paper as:
    Gulsun S, Tekin R, Bozkurt F. Treatment of Chronic Delta Hepatitis: A Nine-Year Retrospective Analysis. Hepat Mon. 2011;11(9):731-5. DOI: 10.5812/kowsar.1735143X.728

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