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An Intermediate Dose of Alpha-Recombinant Interferon-2a for Chronic Hepatitis C with Nonsevere Histological Pattern

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Summary

In the light of recent research, which suggests an interferon (IFN) therapy schedule on the basis of single patient characteristics (e.g. histological pattern, viral genotype) and the cost/benefits of such therapy, we studied the efficacy and tolerability of an intermediate dose (4.5MU 3 times a week) of alpha-recombinant interferon-2a (α-r IFN-2a) in 28 patients with histologically proven chronic hepatitis C. 20 were hepatitis C virus (HCV)-RNA +ve, 5 were HCV-RNA −ve, and in 3 patients HCV-RNA status was not carried out. The viral genotypes were: 13 (65%) 1b, 2 (10%) 1a, 1 (5%) 1a + 1b, 3 (15%) 2a, 1 (5%) 3a; histological pattern: 21 (75%) mild chronic active hepatitis (CAH), 7 (25%) moderate CAH. 4.5MU of α-r IFN-2a were given 3 times a week for 6 months, followed by 3MU 3 times a week for 6 months. Six patients (21.4%) had a biochemical and virological sustained response (SR), 8 patients (28%) had ALT normalisation during therapy (transient complete response [TCR]) followed by relapse, 3 patients (10.7%) had a TCR with breakthrough (BT), 4 patients (14.3%) had a partial response (PR) and 7 patients (25%) were nonresponders (NR). We observed persistent HCV-RNA serum loss in all patients with SR, transient HCV-RNA serum loss in 8 patients with TCR, TCR with BT and PR; in 5 patients who were NR no HCV-RNA serum loss occurred. The prevalence of HCV genotype 1b and the duration of disease in SR and NR groups showed a significant difference. Moreover, we found a significant correlation between prevalence of HCV genotype 1b and type of response (r = 0.899, p < 0.05) between mean age in the different patient response groups and prevalence of HCV genotype 1b (r = 0.881, p < 0.05), and between disease duration and type of response (r = 0.874, p < 0.05). The schedule we used can be considered as well tolerated and efficacious at least in chronic hepatitis C with nonsevere histological pattern, with an HCV genotype other than 1b.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, University of Catania, and Hepatology Unit Cannizzaro Hospital, Catania, Italy

    Rocco Siciliano, D. Rosso, G. Elia, R. Carrà, M. Motta & N. Santangelo

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  1. Rocco Siciliano
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  2. D. Rosso
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  3. G. Elia
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  4. R. Carrà
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  5. M. Motta
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  6. N. Santangelo
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Siciliano, R., Rosso, D., Elia, G. et al. An Intermediate Dose of Alpha-Recombinant Interferon-2a for Chronic Hepatitis C with Nonsevere Histological Pattern. Clin. Drug Invest. 14, 200–205 (1997). https://doi.org/10.2165/00044011-199714030-00006

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