BACKGROUND & AIMS: In patients with chronic hepatitis C treated withinterferon alfa, sustained normalization of alanine aminotransferase was observed in about 20%, and no predictive factor of response could be clearly identified. The aims of this study were to assess the efficacy of an escalating dose of interferon and to determine the predictive factors of response. METHODS:Seventy-five patients were randomly assigned to two groups. Twenty-five patients received a dosage of 3 million units of recombinant interferon alfa-2b three times weekly for 24 weeks, and 50 patients received a dose that was increased to 5 million units at 8 weeks in nonresponders and to 10 million units 8 weeks later in persistent nonresponders. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine the features associated with response. RESULTS: A sustained response was observed in 17% of the patients with constant dosage and in 19% of patients with an escalating dosage. Low pretreatment serum hepatitis C virus RNA levels and hepatitis C virus genotype were found to be independent predictive factors of sustained response. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with chronic hepatitis C, an escalating dosage of interferon did not improve the overall rate of response. Low pretreatment serum hepatitis C virus RNA levels and genotype other than 1b were the only predictive factors of sustained response.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND & AIMS: In patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with interferon alfa, sustained normalization of alanine aminotransferase was observed in about 20%, and no predictive factor of response could be clearly identified. The aims of this study were to assess the efficacy of an escalating dose of interferon and to determine the predictive factors of response. METHODS: Seventy-five patients were randomly assigned to two groups. Twenty-five patients received a dosage of 3 million units of recombinant interferon alfa-2b three times weekly for 24 weeks, and 50 patients received a dose that was increased to 5 million units at 8 weeks in nonresponders and to 10 million units 8 weeks later in persistent nonresponders. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine the features associated with response. RESULTS: A sustained response was observed in 17% of the patients with constant dosage and in 19% of patients with an escalating dosage. Low pretreatment serum hepatitis C virus RNA levels and hepatitis C virus genotype were found to be independent predictive factors of sustained response. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with chronic hepatitis C, an escalating dosage of interferon did not improve the overall rate of response. Low pretreatment serum hepatitis C virus RNA levels and genotype other than 1b were the only predictive factors of sustained response.
Authors: P Ferenci; R Stauber; A Propst; R Fiedler; C Müller; M Gschwantler; K Schütze; C Datz; G Judmaier; W Vogel; G J Krejs; A Gangl Journal: Dig Dis Sci Date: 1996-12 Impact factor: 3.199
Authors: G Rasi; D DiVirgilio; M G Mutchnick; F Colella; P Sinibaldi-Vallebona; P Pierimarchi; B Valli; E Garaci Journal: Gut Date: 1996-11 Impact factor: 23.059
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