[Clinical outcome of pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy for chronic hepatitis C].

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS:

The purpose of this study is to elucidate the efficacy and safety of combined peginterferon and ribavirin therapy in Korean patients with chronic HCV infection.

METHODS:

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical records of 84 patients. Thirty five patients with genotype 1 HCV infection were treated with peginterferon alpha-2a 180 microg/week and ribavirin 1,000-1,200 mg/day for 48 weeks, and 49 patients with genotype non-1 were treated with peginterferon alpha-2a 180 microg/week and ribavirin 800 mg/day for 24 weeks.

RESULTS:

An early virologic response was seen in 87.0% of patients with genotype 1 HCV. An end of treatment response (ETR) was seen in 82.6% and 97.6% of patients with genotype 1 and genotype non-1, respectively. An overall sustained virologic response (SVR) was seen in 53 patients (82.8%) of the 64 patients: in 16 (69.6%) of 23 patients with genotype 1 and in 37 (90.2%) of 41 patients with genotype non-1. An end of treatment biochemical response was seen in 58 patients (90.6%) [genotype 1, 20 patients (87.0%); genotype non-1, 38 patients (92.7%)], and a sustained biochemical response was achieved in 49 patients (76.6%) [genotype 1, 14 patients (60.9%); genotype non-1, 35 patients (85.4%)]. Independent factors affecting an SVR were HCV genotype and the baseline HCV RNA level.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study shows that a combination therapy of peginterferon and ribavirin is highly effective for chronic HCV infection, producing a high SVR and ETR.

• Authors: Kyoung-Tae Kim, Sang-Young Han, Jong-Han Kim, Hyun-Ah Yoon, Yang-Hyun Baek, Min-Ji Kim, Sung-Wook Lee, Jin-Seok Jang, Jong-Hun Lee, Myung-Hwan Roh
• Journal: The Korean journal of hepatology (Korean J Hepatol) Vol. 14 Issue 1 Pg. 36-45 (Mar 2008) ISSN: 1738-222X [Print] Korea (South)
• PMID: 18367856 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antiviral Agents
• Interferon alpha-2
• Interferon-alpha
• Recombinant Proteins
• Polyethylene Glycols
• Ribavirin
• peginterferon alfa-2a

Topics

• Adult
• Antiviral Agents (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Female
• Genotype
• Hepatitis C, Chronic (drug therapy, genetics)
• Humans
• Interferon alpha-2
• Interferon-alpha (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Polyethylene Glycols (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Recombinant Proteins
• Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Ribavirin (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Treatment Outcome