BACKGROUND/AIMS: To evaluate the efficacy of peginterferon alfa-2b and ribavirin in unselected consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis C, treated outside of trials, who were relapsers or non-responders to interferon and ribavirin combination. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-four patients were evaluated. There were 101 non-responders and 53 relapsers to standard combination therapy. Patients were retreated with peginterferon alfa-2b 1.5 microg/kg/wk plus ribavirin 1000-1200 mg/day during 48 weeks. RESULTS: Forty-four patients (28.6%) achieved sustained virological response (SVR). Rapid (week 4) and early (week 12) virological response had high negative predictive values of SVR (94% and 97%, respectively); however positive predictive values were relatively low (52% and 49%, respectively). Relapsers had higher SVR rates (58.5%) than non-responders (13%) p<0.0001. In non-responders, SVR raised to 50% in patients with genotype non-1 and mild or moderate fibrosis. In multivariate analysis, predictors of SVR were: relapse after interferon plus ribavirin combination, mild or moderate fibrosis, genotype non-1 and baseline viral load <2 million copies/ml. CONCLUSIONS: Relapsers to interferon plus ribavirin therapy, and non-responders with genotype non-1 and mild or moderate fibrosis, achieved a relatively high SVR rate following retreatment with peginterferon plus ribavirin. Early viral kinetics had a high negative predictive value of SVR.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: To evaluate the efficacy of peginterferon alfa-2b and ribavirin in unselected consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis C, treated outside of trials, who were relapsers or non-responders to interferon and ribavirin combination. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-four patients were evaluated. There were 101 non-responders and 53 relapsers to standard combination therapy. Patients were retreated with peginterferon alfa-2b 1.5 microg/kg/wk plus ribavirin 1000-1200 mg/day during 48 weeks. RESULTS: Forty-four patients (28.6%) achieved sustained virological response (SVR). Rapid (week 4) and early (week 12) virological response had high negative predictive values of SVR (94% and 97%, respectively); however positive predictive values were relatively low (52% and 49%, respectively). Relapsers had higher SVR rates (58.5%) than non-responders (13%) p<0.0001. In non-responders, SVR raised to 50% in patients with genotype non-1 and mild or moderate fibrosis. In multivariate analysis, predictors of SVR were: relapse after interferon plus ribavirin combination, mild or moderate fibrosis, genotype non-1 and baseline viral load <2 million copies/ml. CONCLUSIONS: Relapsers to interferon plus ribavirin therapy, and non-responders with genotype non-1 and mild or moderate fibrosis, achieved a relatively high SVR rate following retreatment with peginterferon plus ribavirin. Early viral kinetics had a high negative predictive value of SVR.
Authors: Jordan J Feld; Apurva A Modi; Ramy El-Diwany; Yaron Rotman; Emmanuel Thomas; Golo Ahlenstiel; Rachel Titerence; Christopher Koh; Vera Cherepanov; Theo Heller; Marc G Ghany; Yoon Park; Jay H Hoofnagle; T Jake Liang Journal: Gastroenterology Date: 2010-09-17 Impact factor: 22.682
Authors: Magdalena Filipowicz; Christine Bernsmeier; Luigi Terracciano; Francois H T Duong; Markus H Heim Journal: PLoS One Date: 2010-11-08 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Fernando L Gonçales; Camila A Moma; Aline G Vigani; Adriana F C F Angerami; Eduardo S L Gonçales; Raquel Tozzo; Maria H P Pavan; Neiva S L Gonçales Journal: BMC Infect Dis Date: 2010-07-20 Impact factor: 3.090
Authors: Tarik Asselah; Emilie Estrabaud; Ivan Bieche; Martine Lapalus; Simon De Muynck; Michel Vidaud; David Saadoun; Vassili Soumelis; Patrick Marcellin Journal: Liver Int Date: 2010-10 Impact factor: 5.828