Peginterferon treatment Stopage after 24 weeks

Advice Needed.
I have been on tenofovir and peginterferon treatment for past 6 months. The last 24 weeks of peginterferon was ordered for me but it arrived and has not been in cold storage for about a week.

I am concerned the medicine may have lost potency and hence I do not intend to take them, 24 injections, to complete the 48weeks course of treatment.

Do you think it is OK, to just continue with the tenofovir daily? Thus is because I can not order another badge of 24 injections and if I do, it may take another 6weeks to arrive meaning a gap in treatment.

Please advise. I am hbv antigen negative and my hbv dna was 346IU/ml as at last week.

Regards

Dear FelliB,

If your pharmacy has not stored the pegIFN correctly they should get a new supply held under proper storage conditions.

If you have completed 24 weeks of pegIFN + TDF there are some markers which predict a positive outcome at this milestone in therapy.

Do you have your baseline (beginning of therapy) ALT and HBsAg? Do you know what they are after 24 weeks of pegIFN? Have you been monitoring your liver function frequently? Any ALT elevations?

Best regards,

Dear Availlant,
Thanks for the response.
My LFTS were normal and hbv dna was about 10000ui/ml when I started the TDF and weekly pegasys.
As at 24 weeks, the LFTS are still normal and hbv dna 346. Unfortunately, test for hbsag quantity is not available at my location.

My worry is can I stop the Pegasys without any significant effects on me after taking 24shots.but will continue with the tenofovir.
Regards

Dear FelliB

There is no issue with stopping pegIFN providing you continue taking TDF.

Your HBV DNA is a bit high for someone taking TDF (are you following a daily regimen of 300mg?).

Best regards,

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I have been on the tenofovir 300mg for over 6months.

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Hi FelliB,

So you have not been on TDF for very long. In some cases it takes sometime for HBV DNA to drop lower than this. I would not worry.

Best regards,

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