A prospective, randomized trial comparing lymphoblastoid to recombinant interferon alfa 2a as therapy for chronic hepatitis C.
To compare the long-term effectiveness and tolerability of lymphoblastoid interferon (IFN-alphaN1) and recombinant interferon alfa 2a (IFN-alpha2a) in patients with chronic hepatitis caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV), 234 consecutive patients with HCV-related chronic hepatitis were randomized prospectively to receive titrated doses (starting dose = 6 million units [MU]) of IFN-alpha2a (n = 118) or IFN-alphaN1 (n = 116) for 12 months. HCV RNA was detected by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), quantified by branched-DNA (bDNA) assay, and genotyped by reverse hybridization assay. Thirty-one patients in the IFN-alpha2a group and 28 in the IFN-alphaN1 group (total, 59 [25%] had normal transaminases and undetectable HCV RNA by RT-PCR after 12 months of therapy, but only 19 in the first group and 20 in the second group (total, 39 [17%]) had biochemical and virological responses 12 months after treatment was discontinued. The two treatment groups differed in terms of prevalence of major drug-related adverse reactions (23% vs. 37%, P = .025). The mean total dose per patient was similar for the two groups, i.e., 502 MU IFN-alpha2a vs. 496 MU IFN-alphaN1, and the cost of each sustained response was $31,800 and $32,440, respectively. By multivariate analysis, pretreatment viremia higher than 0.2 MEq/mL and infection with genotype 1 were independently associated to treatment failure. The outcome of treatment in chronic hepatitis C patients was not improved by the administration of high cumulative doses of lymphoblastoid IFN.
Rumi
M
M
Institute of Internal Medicine, University of Milan, IRCCS Policlinic Hospital, Italy.
Del Ninno
E
E
Parravicini
M L
ML
Romeo
R
R
Soffredini
R
R
Donato
M F
MF
Wilber
J
J
Russo
A
A
Colombo
M
M
D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins