High doses of recombinant alpha-interferon or gamma-interferon for chronic hepatitis C: a randomized, controlled trial.
Chronic hepatitis C is often a progressive liver disease for which there is no satisfactory treatment. We studied the efficacy of recombinant alpha-interferon or gamma-interferon in the treatment of this disease in comparison with a control group. Thirty patients were randomly assigned to three groups. Ten patients received 7.5 MU alpha-interferon/m2 body surface three times weekly for 3 mo, then 5 MU/m2 for 3 mo and 2.5 MU/m2 for 6 mo. Ten patients were treated with gamma-interferon at a dose of 2 MU/m2 for 6 mo and the other 10 served as controls without treatment. The mean serum ALT levels and liver histological findings improved significantly only in the patients treated with alpha-interferon. No changes were observed in patients treated with gamma-interferon or in controls. Five of 10 patients treated with alpha-interferon had complete responses (mean ALT normal during therapy). After treatment ALT returned to pretreatment levels in two of 5 patients. The long-term response rate after alpha-interferon therapy was 30% at 18 mo. We conclude that alpha-interferon is effective in controlling disease activity in a portion of patients with chronic hepatitis C. High doses of alpha-interferon do not appear to add further benefit in the response rate or relapse rate. gamma-Interferon therapy is ineffective.
Sáez-Royuela
F
F
Department of Gastroenterology, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain.
Porres
J C
JC
Moreno
A
A
Castillo
I
I
Martinez
G
G
Galiana
F
F
Carreño
V
V
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012008:Recurrence
D007370:Interferon Type I; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D000410:Alanine Transaminase