Long term antifibrotic effect of interferon-gamma treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection

Background & Aims: To determine long-term antifibrotic effects of IFN-g treatment in chronically hepatitis B virus infected patients. Methods: HBs antigen positive patients with biopsy proven hepatic fibrosis were treated with 50mg IFN-g i.m. on a daily basis for three months and on alternate days the subsequent six months. 3 serial liver biopsies were assessed according to the modified Knodell and Chevallier scoring system that were obtained at initiation and end of IFN-g treatment as well as 4 to 6 years after treatment discontinuation. Results: Immediately following IFN-g treatment, 10 out of 20 patients show…