Prolonged treatment (18 months) of chronic hepatitis C with recombinant alpha-interferon in comparison with a control group.
The effectiveness of recombinant alpha-interferon was evaluated in chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis of parenteral transmission. Thirty patients were randomly allocated two groups: control group (without treatment) and treatment group (alpha-interferon 5 mega units thrice weekly for 2 months, and then 1.5 mega units until the eighteenth month). Retrospectively, 26 patients had anti-hepatitis C antibodies. After the first month, 40% of the treated patients had normal serum alanine aminotransferase levels, and no one in the control group (p less than 0.05). After 18 months of treatment, 40% (6/15) of treated patients and 7% (1/14) of controls had normal serum transaminases (p less than 0.05). Interferon was well tolerated. A decrease in the Knodell Index score on final biopsy was found in treated patients (p less than 0.05), with no variations in the control group. Relapse within 7 months after the end of treatment occurred in two out of six complete responders. Thus, recombinant alpha-interferon therapy given for 18 months normalizes serum transaminases and improves histological lesions in chronic hepatitis C of parenteral epidemiology. This long-term interferon schedule is well tolerated.
Gómez-Rubio
M
M
Department of Gastroenterology, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain.
Porres
J C
JC
Castillo
I
I
Quiroga
J A
JA
Moreno
A
A
Carreño
V
V
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013997:Time Factors
D015415:Biomarkers; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000410:Alanine Transaminase