Therapy of chronic post-transfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis with interferon alfa-2b: Swedish experience.
Thirty-three Swedish patients with chronic post-transfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis entered a randomized trial of interferon alfa-2b treatment (INTRON A, Schering-Plough Corporation) (3 million units, three times weekly, subcutaneously for 36 weeks). Twenty-two patients (67%) were reactive for antibodies against hepatitis C virus. Nineteen patients completed the course of therapy; 11 (58%) had a complete response with normalization of serum alanine aminotransferase levels, compared to none of the 12 controls (p less than 0.001). Four treated patients with chronic active hepatitis were non-responders. Non-responders had a significantly higher mean body weight than responders (p less than 0.05) and tended to have a longer duration of prior disease. During the 10-month follow-up period post treatment, 4/11 (36%) complete responders had a sustained response and three (75%) of these four were reactive for antibodies against hepatitis C virus, whereas 7/11 (64%) relapsed, of whom four (57%) were reactive for antibodies against hepatitis C virus. All patients who were treated again responded but relapsed once more after retreatment was stopped. We conclude that the majority of patients with chronic post-transfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis will respond to 9 months' interferon alfa-2b treatment, but that only one of three responders will have a sustained response 10 months post treatment. Reactivity for antibodies against hepatitis C virus is not predictive of the outcome of therapy.
Weiland
O
O
Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institute, Roslagstull Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Schvarcz
R
R
Wejstål
R
R
Norkrans
G
G
Frydén
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013548:Sweden; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
D015415:Biomarkers; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000410:Alanine Transaminase