A preliminary study of retreatment of chronic hepatitis C with interferon.
Nine patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and no complete response to the first treatment with natural interferon (IFN)-alpha, were prescribed a second treatment with IFN. Five patients (Group A) with unsustained levels serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) after the first treatment were administrated the same species of IFN but in a higher dose. The remaining four patients (Group B), with no normalization of ALT throughout the observation period of the first treatment, were administrated IFN-beta. HCV RNA was eliminated in three patients of group A and in two of group B patients during 6 months follow up and ALT reverted to normal levels. These results suggest that retreatment with a higher dose of the same species of IFN-alpha can be effective in case of a relapse and that IFN-beta can be effective for those not responding to IFN-alpha.
Kishihara
Y
Y
Department of General Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka.
Hayashi
J
J
Ohmiya
M
M
Nakashima
K
K
Ikematsu
H
H
Kashiwagi
S
S
D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012008:Recurrence
D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D016899:Interferon-beta