The effects of a high dose, short course of interferon on hepatitis C.
To shorten the period of interferon (IFN) treatment for chronic hepatitis C, we investigated the clinical efficacy of a regimen using a higher dose and a shorter treatment period. Fifty chronic hepatitis C patients who were hepatitis C virus (HCV)-RNA positive and who were histologically diagnosed as having chronic hepatitis, took part in the study. Virus levels were measured before and 2 weeks after starting the treatment. We administered natural IFNalpha, 10 MU, i.m. daily for 2 consecutive weeks and then three times per week for the subsequent 14 weeks (total dose 560 MU). Patients who were HCV-RNA negative at the completion of the therapy and 6 months later, were evaluated as sustained responders (SR; 32%). Those who were not HCV-RNA negative at the two time points were evaluated as non-responders. Nucleotide and clone differences in the hypervariable region (HVR) and predictive factors for prognosis were also analysed. Low virus level and HCV-RNA genotype 2a/2b were the predictors for good prognosis, whereas the numbers of nucleotide differences and clone differences in HVR were not. Sustained responder patients became HCV-RNA negative 2 weeks after starting the treatment at a significantly higher rate, whereas no non-responder patients were HCV-RNA negative at that time. The SR rate (32%) was equivalent to those reported in previous 24 week treatment studies. This IFN therapy using a higher dose and a shorter period was useful.
Nomura
H
H
Department of Internal Medicine, Shin-Kokura Hospital, Kita-Kyushu, Japan.
Tsuchiya
Y
Y
Maruyama
T
T
Miki
K
K
Yokota
T
T
Okubo
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D012367:RNA, Viral; D007372:Interferons; D000410:Alanine Transaminase