title: Combination therapy with interferon alfa and ribavirin as retreatment of interferon relapse in chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: Interferon (IFN) results in normalization of the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), loss of detectable serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA, and histologic improvement in approximately 40% of patients. However, regardless of the duration of initial therapy, most patients relapse within the first few months after the drug is stopped and only a small proportion have a sustained response. Retreatment of IFN relapsers with the combination of IFN and oral ribavirin for 6 months results in end-of-treatment loss of detectable HCV RNA and normalization of the ALT level in over 80% of patients. Nearly half achieve a sustained viral-negative response. Histologic improvement occurs in nearly two thirds of patients retreated with combination therapy and is most pronounced in those who lose serum HCV-RNA.
authors.affiliation: University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville 32610-0214, USA.
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004333:Drug Administration Routes; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012008:Recurrence; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin