Objective: To determine the incidence and severity of adverse effects of treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B and C (CHB and CHC).
Material and methods: A group of 104 patients with CHC and 74 CHB patients treated in 1994-2005 was evaluated. The patients were divided according to their treatment patterns and sex. Selected haematologic parameters (haemoglobin, neutrophil and platelet counts) were assessed.
Results: In CHC patients treated with interferon alpha (IFN), IFN alpha and ribavirin (IFN+RIB) or pegylated IFN alpha with ribavirin (PEG+RIB), and in CHB patients, anaemia was observed in 6 (37.5 %), 43 (56.6 %), 27 (54.0 %) and 11 (24.4 %) cases, respectively. Anaemia was significantly more frequent in women treated with IFN(RIB or PEG+RIB +p > 0.01 and p > 0.005, respectively), and in those with CHB (p > 0.005). The difference in the incidence of anaemia in those treated with RIB and without RIB was statistically significant (55.5 vs. 27.9 %, respectively, p > 0,001). In CHC patients treated with IFN, IFN+RIB or PEG+RIB, and in CHB patients, neutropenia was observed in 9 (56.3 %), 51 (67.1 %), 36 (72.0 %) and 20 (44.4 %) cases, respectively. In women treated with IFN+RIB or PEG+RIB, neutropenia was significantly more frequent (p > 0.05). In CHC patients treated with IFN, IFN+RIB or PEG+RIB, and in CHB patients, thrombocytopenia was detected in 9 (56.3%), 41 (53.9 %), 35 (70.0 %) and 23 (51.1 %) cases, respectively. No significant difference was noted in the incidence of neutropenia and thrombocytopenia between the individual treatment patterns used in CHC or CHB patients. In two cases, the treatment was discontinued due to its adverse effects.
Conclusions: The data confirm a high incidence of haematologic adverse effects, mostly mild. From the point of view of haematologic complications, the treatment may be classified as safe.