title: Re-treatment of chronic hepatitis C with consensus interferon .
abstract: A multicenter, open-label, phase 3 study was conducted in 337 patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who had either not responded to previous interferon therapy or had relapsed after discontinuation of therapy with either consensus interferon (9 microg) or interferon alpha-2b (3 million U) three times a week for 24 weeks. Patients were randomized to receive a higher dose of consensus interferon (15 microg) administered subcutaneously three times a week for 24 or 48 weeks and then were observed for an additional 24 weeks. Patients who had relapsed after prior interferon therapy were more likely to have a sustained alanine aminotransferase response and HCV RNA response (as measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction with a sensitivity of < 100 copies/mL) than were patients who had not responded to prior interferon therapy. For relapsers, the sustained HCV RNA response rate was 58% (48 weeks) and 28% (24 weeks). The sustained alanine aminotransferase response for relapsers was 52% (48 weeks) and 39% (24 weeks). The sustained HCV RNA response rate among prior nonresponders was 13% (48 weeks) and 5% (24 weeks), and the sustained alanine aminotransferase response rate for nonresponders was 17% (48 weeks) and 12% (24 weeks). The administration of 15 microg of consensus interferon was well tolerated and was not associated with an increase in the incidence of side effects. These data demonstrate that re-treatment with 15 microg of consensus interferon is safe and effective therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis C who have either not responded to previous interferon therapy or relapsed after discontinuation of interferon therapy.
authors.affiliation: University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Heathcote
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Keeffe
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Feinman
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Albert
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Witt
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Blatt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000410:Alanine Transaminase