Interferon therapy for patients more than 60 years of age with chronic hepatitis C.
Nineteen patients aged > 60 years with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) received interferon (IFN) therapy and a complete response (CR) was achieved by five of them (26%). The incidence of CH with severe fibrosis in this elderly group was significantly higher than in another 52 patients with CHC who were < 60 years of age (the younger group; P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype distribution between the elderly group and the younger group. However, the HCV-RNA titre was significantly higher in the elderly group than in the younger group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the efficacy rate of IFN in the elderly and younger groups after standardization of the background factors. In the elderly group, the HCV-RNA titre was significantly lower in the patients achieving CR than in those with no response (P < 0.05). These data suggest that elderly patients with a low HCV-RNA titre can still respond well to IFN therapy.
Horiike
N
N
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Ehime University School of Medicine, Japan.
Masumoto
T
T
Nakanishi
K
K
Michitaka
K
K
Kurose
K
K
Ohkura
I
I
Onji
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007370:Interferon Type I; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007372:Interferons