Effectiveness of interferon plus ribavirin combination in the treatment of naive patients with hepatitis C virus type 5. A French multicentre retrospective study

• Published in: Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics Vol. 24; no. 4; pp. 593 - 600
• Main Authors: BONNY, C., FONTAINE, H., POYNARD, T., HÉZODE, C., LARREY, D., MARCELLIN, P., BOURLIÈRE, M., BRONOWICKI, J. P., MERLE, P., ZARSKI, J. P., SAPEY, T., GUILLEMARD, C., UGHETTO, S., HENQUELL, C., NICOLAS, C., ROCHE, C., RANDL, K., BOMMELAER, G., ABERGEL, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.08.2006; Blackwell
• Subjects: Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Digestive system; Drug Combinations; Female; France; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Hepatitis C - drug therapy; Hepatitis C virus; Humans; Interferons - therapeutic use; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Patient Compliance; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Retrospective Studies; Ribavirin - therapeutic use; Treatment Outcome; France; Europe; Human; Multicenter study; Cytokine; Ribavirin; Retrospective; Virus; Treatment; Efficiency; Nucleoside analog; Antiviral; Interferon; Flaviviridae; Hepatitis C virus; Hepacivirus
• ISSN: 0269-2813; 1365-2036
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2006.03018.x

Summary Aim To assess the rate of sustained virological response in naïve hepatitis C virus‐type 5 patients treated by standard interferon or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy‐interferon (peg‐interferon) and ribavirin combination for 48 weeks. Patients and methods A total of 87 hepatitis C virus patients were included from 12 centres in France; 28 patients received interferon plus ribavirin and 59 were treated with peg‐interferon plus ribavirin. Results Baseline characteristics were: mean age 58 ± 11 years, sex ratio 1, 66% had metavir fibrosis score ≥F2, 21% were cirrhotics and 53% had pretherapeutic viral load ≥800 000 IU/mL. Sustained virological response was achieved in 64% and 58% of hepatitis C virus‐5 patients treated with interferon and peg‐interferon, respectively (NS). In adherent patients, sustained virological response was obtained in 75% of patients. Sustained virological response in hepatitis C virus‐5 patients (60%) was significantly higher than sustained virological response in hepatitis C virus‐1 patients (37%) (P = 0.0499) and not significantly different from sustained virological response in hepatitis C virus‐2–3 patients (63%) (P = 0.8098). Conclusions Combination therapy is effective in 60% of hepatitis C virus‐5‐infected patients. Sustained virological response seems better in hepatitis C virus‐5 patients than in hepatitis C virus‐1 patients, and is similar to that of hepatitis C virus‐2–3 patients. More studies are needed to determine optimal duration of treatment in hepatitis C virus‐5 patients.