Quantitative hepatitis C virus RNA and liver histology in chronic hepatitis C patients treated with interferon alfa.
Seventy patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection received alpha interferon at doses ranging from 3 to 10 million units (MU) daily for eight weeks, three times weekly for 12-24 weeks, or daily and three times weekly for 12-24 weeks. The efficacy of interferon was closely related to the initial blood HCV-RNA values in that these were lower in those who responded completely and partially compared with non-responders. Continuous reductions in HCV-RNA and improvements in the histology activity index score were seen in those who responded completely. In contrast, most of the partial and non-responders remained HCV-RNA positive.
First Department of Internal Medicine, Okayama University Medical School, Japan.
G
G
Yamada
M
M
Takahashi
H
H
Endo
T
T
Doi
R
R
Miyamoto
H
H
Shimomura
K
K
Yamamoto
T
T
Tsuji
D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*
D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral