Analysis of biochemical and virological efficacy of human lymphoblastoid interferon (IFN) in patients with compensated type C liver cirrhosis: comparative study between increase in individual IFN dose and prolonging of treatment period, using a multicenter randomized controlled trial.
A controlled trial was conducted to compare the efficacy of interferon (IFN) between two groups of patients with type C liver. Thirty-five patients were randomly assigned to group A (17 patients) or group B (18 patients). The former received 3 megaunits (MU) of human lymphoblastoid IFN six days per week for two weeks, followed by three days per week for 50 weeks; the latter group received 6 MU six days per week for two weeks followed by three days per week for 24 weeks. The percentages of biological sustained responders (B-SR) and virological sustained responders (V-SR) were 29.4 and 23.5%, respectively, in group B, and 17.6% for both in group A. The therapeutic effects were not different between two groups. HCV genotype 2 accounted for significantly higher percentage of B-SR and V-SR (both 57.1%, respectively). These findings indicate that IFN is effective in type C cirrhosis with genotype 2.
Shinzawa
H
H
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Japan.
Yoshida
Y
Y
Masamune
O
O
Toyota
T
T
Takahashi
T
T
Kasukawa
R
R
Sudo
T
T
Ishikawa
K
K
Komatsu
M
M
Ishii
M
M
Takagi
T
T
Hisamichi
S
S
Sato
S
S
Ichida
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral