BACKGROUND: The role of combination therapy is poorly defined in chronic hepatitis C patients who are non-responders to interferon. AIM: To assess the efficacy, safety and tolerance of interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin in chronic hepatitis C patients who do not respond to interferon monotherapy. METHODS: A total of 127 non-responder patients with chronic hepatitis C received 3 mU t.i.w. of interferon alfa-2b plus 1000-1200 mg ribavirin daily for 48 weeks. Effects of therapy were evaluated by serum aminotransferases and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA levels. RESULTS: Twenty-nine (23%) patients had an end-of-treatment response. Six months after treatment, 20 (16%) patients were sustained responders. Early loss of HCV RNA was the strongest predictor of a sustained response (P < 0.0001). Remission was also more frequent in patients with genotype 1b (P < 0.02), elevated alanine aminotransferase (P < 0.03) and low gamma glutamiltranspeptidase (P < 0.002). Treatment was discontinued in 21 (17%) patients: in 14 for intolerance and in seven due to side-effects. CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy with interferon plus ribavirin produced a sustained response in 16% of chronic hepatitis C patients who were non-responders to interferon. This combination was safe and well tolerated.
BACKGROUND: The role of combination therapy is poorly defined in chronic hepatitis Cpatients who are non-responders to interferon. AIM: To assess the efficacy, safety and tolerance of interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin in chronic hepatitis Cpatients who do not respond to interferon monotherapy. METHODS: A total of 127 non-responder patients with chronic hepatitis C received 3 mU t.i.w. of interferon alfa-2b plus 1000-1200 mg ribavirin daily for 48 weeks. Effects of therapy were evaluated by serum aminotransferases and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA levels. RESULTS: Twenty-nine (23%) patients had an end-of-treatment response. Six months after treatment, 20 (16%) patients were sustained responders. Early loss of HCV RNA was the strongest predictor of a sustained response (P < 0.0001). Remission was also more frequent in patients with genotype 1b (P < 0.02), elevated alanine aminotransferase (P < 0.03) and low gamma glutamiltranspeptidase (P < 0.002). Treatment was discontinued in 21 (17%) patients: in 14 for intolerance and in seven due to side-effects. CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy with interferon plus ribavirin produced a sustained response in 16% of chronic hepatitis Cpatients who were non-responders to interferon. This combination was safe and well tolerated.
Authors: C Cammà; S Bruno; F Schepis; O Lo Iacono; P Andreone; A G Gramenzi; A Mangia; A Andriulli; M Puoti; A Spadaro; M Freni; V Di Marco; L Cino; G Saracco; A Chiesa; A Crosignani; N Caporaso; F Morisco; M G Rumi; A Craxì Journal: Gut Date: 2002-12 Impact factor: 23.059