Treatment with thymic extract TFX for chronic active hepatitis B.
Eighteen patients with biopsy-proven chronic active hepatitis B (CAHB) and a significantly lowered CD4+/CD8+ cell number ratio were treated with thymic factor X (TFX): group I (n = 12) - for 12 months, group II (n = 6) for 6 months. As early as 14 days after starting the treatment a lowering of CD8+ cell numbers with a rise in CD4+/CD8+ cell number ratio were found. These changes continued to progress during the next months and were accompanied by decreased in NK cell numbers with enhancement of NK cell activity. Normalization of the biochemical and immunological parameters occurred after 5-6 months of the treatment. In both groups of patients seroconversion in the HBe system was observed after 9-12 months of the treatment. After two years complete clinical remission persists with normal biochemical and immunological findings and without reversion in the HBe system. The results seem to indicate that TFX has an immunostimulatory action and exerts beneficial effects on the course of CAHB.