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. 2025 Feb 1;44(2):112-117.
doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000004567. Epub 2024 Oct 1.

Dynamic Changes of Growth and Thyroid Function in Young Children With Chronic Hepatitis B Treated With Peginterferon Monotherapy

Qiufeng He  1 , Chuangjie Mao  1 , Zhili Chen  1 , Fangfang Duan  2 , Liang Huang  1 , Rong Hu  1 , Yang Deng  1 , Jun Cheng  2 , Song Yang  2 , Yilan Zeng  1
Affiliations

Dynamic Changes of Growth and Thyroid Function in Young Children With Chronic Hepatitis B Treated With Peginterferon Monotherapy

Qiufeng He et al. Pediatr Infect Dis J. .

Abstract

Background: Peginterferon (PegIFN) has shown promising results in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). This study aimed to evaluate the effects of PegIFN α-2b on growth and thyroid function in young children with CHB.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed by extracting clinical data from children with CHB who received PegIFN α-2b monotherapy at the Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu between June 2017 and December 2020. Mean, SD, independent samples t test and 1-way repeated analysis of variance were used to evaluate relevant data.

Results: A total of 62 children were included in this study. Overall, significant differences were observed in the weight-for-age z score (WAZ), height-for-age z score (HAZ) and body mass index-for-age z score (BAZ) at different time points ( P < 0.001). WAZ, HAZ and BAZ were not affected by PegIFN α-2b at 24 weeks of treatment (all P > 0.05). WAZ, HAZ and BAZ at the end of treatment and 48 weeks after treatment; WAZ at 96 weeks after treatment were lower than baseline levels (all P < 0.05). No statistical differences were found in HAZ and BAZ at 96 weeks after treatment compared with baseline. Thyroid dysfunction developed in 17.7% of children during the treatment. Thyroid dysfunction was transient and had no effect on growth.

Conclusions: PegIFN α-2b has inhibitory effects on growth and can increase the incidence of thyroid dysfunction in young children with CHB. These effects are generally reversible with the cessation of therapy, although WAZ had not returned to baseline after 96 weeks of observation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no funding or conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 1.
Selection process of the study population.
FIGURE 2.
FIGURE 2.
Dynamics changes in WAZ, HAZ and BAZ during and after PegIFN α-2b therapy. A: WAZ. B: HAZ. C: BAZ. Compared with baseline, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. BAZ indicates BMI-for-age z score; HAZ, hepatitis B virus; WAZ, weight-for-age z score.
FIGURE 3.
FIGURE 3.
Dynamics changes in WAZ, HAZ and BAZ during and after PegIFN α-2b therapy based on treatment duration in group A (48 wk) and group B (>48 wk). A: WAZ. B: HAZ. C: BAZ. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. BAZ indicates BMI-for-age z score; HAZ, hepatitis B virus; WAZ, weight-for-age z score.
FIGURE 4.
FIGURE 4.
Distribution of thyroid function tests and antithyroid antibody during and after PegIFN α-2b therapy. A: Thyroid function tests. B: Antithyroid antibody.
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