title: A novel treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Interferon alpha-2b therapy for Chronic Hepatitis C patients has been unsatisfactory. Recombinant Granulocyte Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor has been shown to have anti-viral effects in vivo and in vitro via cytokines release. Recently its effects on chronic hepatitis B and possibly chronic hepatitis C were reported. We, decided to conduct a pilot study to evaluate the anti-viral effects of recombinant human GM-CSF mono-therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C and to assess its side effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 10 patients (male/female: 5/5) (age: 34-60, mean: 45) seen in our center between 2/95 to 2/96 were randomly selected to receive recombinant human Granulocyte Macrophage Colony-Stimulating-Factor at 125 ug/m2 subcutaneously daily for two weeks followed by three times weekly for another 8 weeks. Biochemical (ALT) and viral (HCV-RNA) responses were measured prior to treatment and at weeks four and eight. Side effects were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six out of the ten patients treated had significant viral reduction but none became negative. Eight out the ten patients treated showed biochemical improvement and three out of the eight had normalized liver enzymes. Age, sex, stage of the disease did not influence the response but there seems to be a tendency for patients with higher pre-treatment viral level to respond virally. Side effects are minimal and well-tolerated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recombinant human Granulocyte Macrophage Colony-Stimulating-Factor in the dose used has anti-viral effects in the majority of the chronic hepatitis C patients studied. Side effects are minimal and well tolerated. Further study with higher doses and longer duration is needed to prove its clinical efficacy in treating patients with chronic hepatitis C.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, John Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, USA.
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shimoda
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shimoda
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goad
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yee
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor