Discrepancy in virological and biochemistry response of patients with chronic hepatitis HCV positive on treatment with PEG-IFN plus ribavirin

J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2003 Apr-Jun;17(2):205-6.

Abstract

Combination therapy of PEG-IFN alpha-2a o alpha-2b plus ribavirin represents a further improvement in treatment of chronic hepatitis HCV+ with a sustained virological response (SVR) either in monotherapy (25-39%) either in association with ribavirin (59-56%). SVR is highly predictable: 75% of all patients who achieve viral clearance at week 12 (EVR), if they had an adherence > 80% of planned therapy, they become sustained viral responders. In spite of virological response, 16-34% of patients on PEG-IFN monotherapy have high value of ALT, and this make them to reduce adherence. 62 patients whith chronic hepatitis HCV+ and no corrhosis, have been treated for 48 weeks with PEG-IFN and ribavirin to evaluate discrepancy incidence between virological (HCVRNA < 200UI) and biochemical (normal value of ALT) response of patients treated with PEG-IFN plus ribavirin and to verify the impact that stuch discrepancy can produce on SVR of treated patients. Our preliminary data confirm that PEG-IFN bring a superior virological response than biochemical one, either on naive patients either on experienced ones even with ribavirin in association. It will be useful to verify if this discepancy cause a superior SVR as already reported by several studies. Even the follow-up of our 5 discordant patients confirm this trend.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Alanine Transaminase / blood*
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / drug therapy*
  • Humans
  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha* / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polyethylene Glycols*
  • RNA, Viral / blood
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Ribavirin / therapeutic use*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Viral Load*

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha
  • RNA, Viral
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Ribavirin
  • Alanine Transaminase
  • peginterferon alfa-2b
  • peginterferon alfa-2a