Interferon alpha-2b and ribavirin in combination for patients with chronic hepatitis C who failed to respond to, or relapsed after, interferon alpha therapy: a randomized trial
PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy of interferon alpha-2b and ribavirin in combination in the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C who had either failed to respond to therapy with interferon alpha (nonresponders), or who had relapsed after interferon therapy (relapsers). SUBJECTS AND METHODS:...
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Published in | The American journal of medicine Vol. 107; no. 2; pp. 112 - 118 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
New York, NY
Elsevier Inc
01.08.1999
Elsevier Elsevier Sequoia S.A |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy of interferon alpha-2b and ribavirin in combination in the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C who had either failed to respond to therapy with interferon alpha (nonresponders), or who had relapsed after interferon therapy (relapsers).
SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Four hundred patients with chronic hepatitis C (200 nonresponders and 200 relapsers) were randomly assigned in equal numbers to receive either subcutaneous administration of recombinant interferon alpha-2b (3 million units three times per week) and ribavirin (1,000 to 1,200 mg/daily orally) or interferon alpha-2b alone (6 million units three times per week). Both ribavirin and interferon alpha-2b were given for 24 weeks. The patients were then followed for an additional 24 weeks.
RESULTS: At the end of the treatment period, normalization of serum alanine aminotransferase levels and absence of hepatitis C virus RNA were seen in 21% of nonresponders and in 39% of relapsers who were treated with interferon alpha-2b and ribavirin, compared with 5% of nonresponders (
P = 0.001) and 9% of relapsers treated with interferon alpha-2b alone (
P <0.001). At the end of follow-up, 14% of nonresponders and 30% of relapsers treated with the combination therapy had a sustained response, compared with 1% of nonresponders (
P = 0.001) and 5% of relapsers treated with interferon alpha alone (
P <0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: A 24-week course of treatment with interferon alpha-2b and ribavirin offers a chance of sustained response, whereas retreatment with interferon alpha-2b alone does not give satisfactory results. The role of long-term therapy in inducing prolonged remission remains to be explored. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 ObjectType-News-3 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 0002-9343 1555-7162 |
DOI: | 10.1016/S0002-9343(99)00160-6 |