title: Interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C patients who have not responded to interferon monotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of combination therapy is poorly defined in chronic hepatitis C patients who are non-responders to interferon.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy, safety and tolerance of interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin in chronic hepatitis C patients who do not respond to interferon monotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 127 non-responder patients with chronic hepatitis C received 3 mU t.i.w. of interferon alfa-2b plus 1000-1200 mg ribavirin daily for 48 weeks. Effects of therapy were evaluated by serum aminotransferases and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-nine (23%) patients had an end-of-treatment response. Six months after treatment, 20 (16%) patients were sustained responders. Early loss of HCV RNA was the strongest predictor of a sustained response (P < 0.0001). Remission was also more frequent in patients with genotype 1b (P < 0.02), elevated alanine aminotransferase (P < 0.03) and low gamma glutamiltranspeptidase (P < 0.002). Treatment was discontinued in 21 (17%) patients: in 14 for intolerance and in seven due to side-effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combination therapy with interferon plus ribavirin produced a sustained response in 16% of chronic hepatitis C patients who were non-responders to interferon. This combination was safe and well tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Hepatología, Hospital de la Princesa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lo Iacono
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diago
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Bermejo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vega
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carbonell
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sanz
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Borque
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: García-Buey
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: García-Monzón
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pedreira
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moreno-Otero
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin; D000410:Alanine Transaminase