Objective: To study the changes of peripheral plasmacytoid dendritic cells and lymphocyte subsets in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) during consensus interferon (CIFN) treatment.
Methods: Twenty-three patients with CHB were treated with CIFN for 24 weeks and followed up for another 24 weeks. Peripheral plasmacytoid dendritic cells and lymphocyte subsets were measured throughout the treatment and follow-up periods.
Results: After CIFN treatment, 43.5% of the patients had virological and biochemical responses. The percentage and absolute number of peripheral plasmacytoid dendritic cells decreased significantly (P less than 0.05), the number of CD3+ cells, CD4+ T cells, B cells and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ cells decreased also (P less than 0.05), but the number of CD8+ T cells and NK cells increased (P less than 0.05).
Conclusions: Consistent virological and biochemical responses can be seen in some patients with CHB virus infection after CIFN treatment, and the percentage and number of their peripheral plasmacytoid dendritic cells greatly decreased, but the number of CD8+ T cells and NK cells increased.