[Interferon therapy for acute hepatitis C; changes in serum markers associated with HCV and clinical effects].
In order to prevent the progression to chronicity of acute hepatitis C, we treated 22 patients with natural human alpha or beta interferon (IFN) in varying doses (3-6 megaunit) daily, for 4 weeks everyday or TIW for 8 weeks. 14 (63.6%) of the 22 patients was cured with IFN therapy. According to the level of serum HCV RNA, 5 (83%) of the 6 patients with more than 10(5) copies/ml were progressed to chronicity, while 10 (91%) of the 11 patients with less than 10(5) copies/ml were cured. Curative rate on each genotypes was 3/9 (33%) in type II, 2/3 (67%) in type III and 1/2 (50%) in type IV. Positive cases for anti C100-3 before IFN were cured only 2 (28.6%) of the 7 patients, but negative cases were cured in 12 (80%) of the 15 patients. This study reveal that IFN therapy for acute hepatitis C may contribute to prevent the progression to chronicity and that the determination of the level of serum HCV RNA, HCV genotypes and anti C 100-3 levels may be useful to predict that efficacy of IFN and also to make a schedule for successful IFN therapy.
Fukui
S
S
Second Department of Internal Medicine, St. Marianna University of Medicine.
Tohyama
H
H
Iwabuchi
S
S
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D016899:Interferon-beta