Intravenous recombinant interferon-beta versus interferon-alpha-2b and ribavirin in combination for short-term treatment of chronic hepatitis C patients not responding to interferon-alpha. Multicenter Interferon Beta Italian Group Investigators.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the therapeutic role of intravenous interferon-beta in chronic hepatitis C patients unresponsive to a previous treatment with interferon-alpha.


METHODS
Two hundred interferon-alpha non-responders were randomized to receive either intravenous recombinant interferon-beta or interferon-alpha-2b and ribavirin for 12 weeks. The responders in both groups were followed up for a further 48 weeks.


RESULTS
At week 12 a biochemical and virologic response was documented in 42% of the patients treated with interferon-beta and in 22% of the patients treated with combination therapy. A sustained response was observed in 21% of the patients treated with interferon-beta and in 13% of those treated with combination therapy, with similar differences on intention-to-treat analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Short-term treatment with intravenous interferon-beta seems to offer a chance for sustained response in a subset of interferon-alpha non-responders. The role of long-term therapy in these patients still remains to be explored.
Barbaro
G
G
Dept of Emergency Medicine, La Sapienza University, Ospedale Lazzaro Spallanzani, Rome, Italy.
Di Lorenzo
G
G
Soldini
M
M
Giancaspro
G
G
Pellicelli
A
A
Grisorio
B
B
Barbarini
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001706:Biopsy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin; D016899:Interferon-beta