OBJECTIVES: Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B patients are at high risk of treatment relapse after any antiviral therapy. Combining peginterferon alpha-2a with ribavirin might improve sustained response rates.METHODS: Overall, 138 HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients were randomized to receive monotherapy (peginterferon alpha-2a 180 microg weekly plus placebo) or combination therapy (peginterferon alpha-2a weekly plus ribavirin 1,000 or 1,200 mg daily, depending on body weight) for 48 weeks. Post-treatment follow-up lasted 24 weeks. Analyses were based on the modified intention-to-treat population after exclusion of five patients.RESULTS: At the end of follow-up, 14 (20%) of 69 patients assigned to monotherapy and 10 (16%) of 64 assigned to combination therapy had a combined response (hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA <10,000 copies/ml (<1,714 IU/ml) and a normal alanine aminotransferase level, P=0.49). At the end of treatment, more patients had a combined response (25 (36%) vs. 26 (41%) in the monotherapy and combination therapy group, respectively, P=0.60), but subsequently relapsed during follow-up. Serum HBV DNA and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) levels decreased during treatment (mean change at week 48 compared with baseline -3.9 vs. -2.6 log copies/ml, P<0.001 and -0.56 vs. -0.34 log IU/ml, P=0.23, respectively). HBV DNA levels relapsed after treatment discontinuation; HBsAg remained at end-of-treatment levels. In general, combination therapy was well tolerated, although it was associated with a higher risk of anemia and neutropenia.CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with peginterferon alpha-2a resulted in a limited sustained response rate in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients. Addition of ribavirin did not improve response to therapy.