title: Interferon-alpha in acute posttransfusion hepatitis C: a randomized, controlled trial.
abstract: To assess the efficacy of interferon-alpha in acute hepatitis C, 28 patients with acute posttransfusion hepatitis were randomized to receive 3 million units of recombinant interferon-alpha three times weekly for 12 wk or no treatment. Biochemical, histological and serological parameters were monitored during 1 yr of follow-up. Serum ALT levels were normal at the end of therapy in 73% of treated patients and only in 38% of control patients (p = 0.06); these differences disappeared at 6 and 12 mo of follow-up. Anti-hepatitis C virus seroconversion occurred later and at a lower rate in the group of patients who received interferon-alpha. Treated patients had a trend toward less severe hepatic lesions with lower histological activity as compared with the control group, but no statistical differences were observed. No severe side effects of interferon-alpha were detected during the study. In summary, a 3-mo course of interferon-alpha in acute hepatitis C is safe and might have some effect in diminishing disease activity only during the treatment period; however, and probably because of a small sample size, no benefit of interferon-alpha in the long-term outcome of this disease was demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Hospital General Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Viladomiu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Genescà
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Esteban
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Allende
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: López-Talavera
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Esteban
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guardia
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins