title: Retreatment of chronic hepatitis C with interferon.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We analyzed the retreatment of chronic hepatitis C with interferon to get the standpoint for the selection of patients to receive it.
  
  
  METHODS
  A complete response was defined as continuous normalization of the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level and continuous disappearance of serum hepatitis C virus RNA (HCV-RNA) during interferon administration and more than 6 months after. Patients without complete response were classified as noncomplete responders. From August 1990 to May 1993, we retreated 23 noncomplete responders on initial treatment with interferon and studied the factors that alter the effectiveness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete response was achieved in eight (34.8%) patients; the other 15 patients did not achieve this degree of response. Three patients were of genotype II and five were of genotype III in these eight complete responders. All complete responders were patients with relapse who had had normalized serum ALT levels during the initial administration and undetectable HCV-RNA at the end of the period. No patient who failed to achieve normalization of the serum ALT level on initial treatment achieved a complete response on retreatment. HCV-RNA concentrations before retreatment were significantly less than before initial treatment in the eight complete responders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interferon retreatment of patients who do not achieve a complete response may be effective in relapsed cases with undetectable HCV-RNA at the end of initial treatment. Selection of patients to receive interferon retreatment requires careful review and consideration of genotype, HCV-RNA concentration, and the clinical response on initial treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ogaki Municipal Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Toyoda
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kumada
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Osada
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kiriyama
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suga
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohki
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ito
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016679:Genome, Viral; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012008:Recurrence; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D007372:Interferons; D000410:Alanine Transaminase