Mieli-Vergani G, Bansal S, Daniel JF, et al. - The antiviral regimen including an oral nucleoside analogue [entecavir or lamivudine], combined with subcutaneous peginterferon alfa-2a, had an acceptable tolerability profile, but was ineffective, in children and adolescents with immune-tolerant chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

• Randomization of 59 children aged 3 to <18 years hepatitis B e antigen-positive with an HBV DNA titer >20,000 IU/mL and persistently normal alanine aminotransferase levels was done to 56 weeks of antiviral therapy.

• Termination of enrollment was done after two similar studies indicated ineffectiveness of similar antiviral regimens.

• HBsAg loss occurred in 1 of 26 patients in the antiviral treatment group (vs none of 33 patients in the control group) at 24 weeks post-treatment.

• There were no serious treatment-related adverse events, and no patients discontinued treatment.