Objective To explore the efficacy of ganciclovir combined with recombinant human interferon α-1b in the treatment of viral encephalitis in children.

Methods 160 children with viral encephalitis admitted to third department of pediatrics of Xingtai People' s Hospital were selected, and divided into single group and combined group by random number table method, with 80 cases in each group. The single group was treated with ganciclovir, whereas the combined group was given ganciclovir combined with recombinant human interferon α-1b. Compare the time to recovery of symptoms in patients between groups. After 2 weeks of treatment, compare the clinical efficacy and EEG abnormalities between the two groups. The cerebral hemodynamics (mean blood flow velocity Vm and pulsatility index PI of anterior cerebral artery and posterior cerebral artery), neurological function (neuron specific enolase NSE, neurotrophin3 NT-3, nerve growth factor NGF), immune function (immunoglobulin A IgA, IgG, IgE) and inflammatory factors (tumor necrosis factor α TNF-α, interleukin β IL-1β, interleukin 2 IL-2) before treatment and after 2 weeks of treatment were compared between groups, and the adverse reactions during treatment were recorded.

Results The disappearance durations of fever, headache, vomiting, convulsion, disturbance of consciousness and meningeal irritation in combined group were shorter than those in single group (P < 0.05). After 2 weeks of treatment, the total effective rate of clinical efficacy was higher in the combined group than in the single group (P < 0.05), the abnormal rate of EEG in the combined group was lower than that in the single group (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the clinical effective rate between subgroups with different disease severity between the two groups of children (P > 0.05). The Vm and PI of anterior cerebral artery and posterior cerebral artery and levels of NSE, NGF, IgA, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-2 were decreased in both groups, and the indicators in combined group were lower compared to single group (all P < 0.05). The levels of NT-3, IgG and IgE in both groups were enhanced after 2 weeks of treatment, and the levels were higher in combined group (all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the total incidence rate of adverse reactions between groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion Ganciclovir combined with recombinant human interferon α-1b can effectively treat viral encephalitis in children, improve cerebral hemodynamics and neurological function, enhance immune function, and relieve inflammatory response, and it dose not increase adverse reactions.