Pegylated interferon alfa-2b monotherapy and pegylated interferon alfa-2b plus lamivudine combination therapy for patients with hepatitis b virus e antigen-negative chronic hepatitis b

Forty-eight hepatitis B virus (HBV) E antigen-negative chronic hepatitis B patients received pegylated interferon alfa-2b either alone or with lamivudine for 48 weeks and were followed for an additional 24 weeks. At the end of follow-up, virological response rates (HBV DNA levels of <400 copies/ml) were similar in the monotherapy (24%) and combination therapy (26%) groups.