Original Contribution
The American Journal of Gastroenterology (2007) 102, 105–106; doi:10.1111/j.1572-0241.2006.00997.x
Combination Therapy for Chronic Hepatitis B: Simultaneous or Sequential?
Man-Fung Yuen MD, PhD and Ching-Lung Lai MD
Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
Correspondence: Man-Fung Yuen, MD, PhD, Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong.
Received 19 September 2006; Accepted 26 September 2006.
Abstract
Various regimens of combination or sequential therapy using nucleoside/nucleotide analogues (NAs) and interferon-alfa (IFN-
) have been tried for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. To date, combination therapy of two NAs and of IFN- and NAs fails to achieve extra viral suppression. Sequential therapy with lamivudine followed by IFN- seems to have better sustained virologic response. However, the long-term beneficial effect of using this approach remains to be defined.
