Interferons used for treatment is generally made by genetic engineering and usually consists of one type of alfa interferon only. The dose regimen for treatment of chronic hepatitis B is usually 5 million units daily or 10 million units three times a week for 16 weeks. Patients with advanced cirrhosis. Patients with other major medical problems or emotional or psychiatric illnesses. Response is usually assessed by loss of hepatitis B e antigen and hepatitis B virus DNA, detection of hepatitis B e antibody, and normalization of liver enzymes.
Responders have a decreased risk of developing liver failure and liver cancer.
These side effects usually go away after the first 1-2 weeks. Increased liver enzymes. Occasionally, patients with hepatitis B may develop flares in liver enzymes during treatment. These flares may reflect destruction of infected liver cells by the immune system but can be dangerous in patients with cirrhosis. Lamivudine is an antiviral agent that blocks the multiplication of hepatitis B virus.