Interferon alfa-2b alone or in combination with ketoprofen as treatment for interferon-naive chronic hepatitis C patients.
BACKGROUND
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may amplify the anti-viral effect of alpha-interferon in vitro but in vivo data are still controversial.


OBJECTIVE
: To test the hypothesis that ketoprofen may increase the rate of response to alpha-interferon of chronic hepatitis C patients.


METHODS
Fifty patients with chronic hepatitis C who had never received alpha-interferon were randomly assigned to receive 3-8 MU of alpha2b-interferon, three times weekly for 6 months, alone or in association with ketoprofen at a dose of 200 mg/day five times weekly. The virological response to treatment (undetectable HCV RNA in serum) was evaluated after 3 months and at the end of treatment, and 6 and 12 months after therapy withdrawal.


RESULTS
One patient under combination therapy stopped the ketoprofen for persisting epigastric pain. Complete response under treatment was observed in 15 out of 24 (62.5%) patients receiving alpha2b-interferon alone and in 14 out of 26 (53.8%) patients under combination therapy (P=N.S.). One year after the end of treatment, a sustained response was seen in 4 out of 24 (16.2%) patients treated with alpha2b-interferon and in 5 out of 26 (19.2%) patients having received the combination (P=N.S.).


CONCLUSIONS
Administration of ketoprofen does not increase either the primary or the sustained response to alpha2b-interferon therapy of interferon-naive chronic hepatitis C patients.
Fabris
P
P
Department of Infectious Diseases, S. Bortolo Hospital, Vicenza, Italy. fabris.p@medicivi.org
Tositti
G
G
Negro
F
F
Marranconi
F
F
Infantolino
D
D
Rassu
M
M
De Lalla
F
F
D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007660:Ketoprofen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007660:Ketoprofen