Recombinant human alpha-interferon therapy for chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis: second report.

Four million units per day of recombinant human alpha-interferon were administered three times weekly for 16 wk to 26 patients with chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis. The efficacy of therapy was assessed by comparing it with the results in the nontreated patients, or with our previous study in which we administered 2 million units per day of interferon. The treatment was discontinued in four patients 8 wk after start of therapy because there was no improvement in serum aminotransferase levels. The remaining 22 patients completed the treatment schedule, and their aminotransferase values showed significant decreases throughout the therapy and during the follow-up period, compared with their baseline levels or the nontreated group. After 3 months of follow-up, normal aminotransferase activities were seen in eight treated patients. In four of these patients, liver histology showed a marked improvement in inflammation and parenchymal cell necrosis. Percent change from pretreatment level of serum 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase activity was significantly higher in the aminotransferase-normalized group than in the nonnormalized group during therapy. The present study suggested that a higher dose of alpha-interferon could control the disease activity more effectively in patients with chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes