Early clearance of circulating hepatitis C virus enhanced by induction therapy with twice-a-day intravenous injection of IFN-beta.
To improve the long-term efficacy of interferon (IFN) for treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, we proposed induction therapy with twice-a-day IFN-beta injection. This study was intended to clarify the antiviral mechanism. Thirty patients were randomly assigned to two groups: group A (twice-a-day therapy) received 3 MU IFN-beta intravenously (i.v.) twice a day for 2 weeks; group B (once-a-day therapy) received 6 MU of IFN-beta daily. HCV RNA, IFN-beta, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), 2'5'-oligoadenylate synthetase (2'5'-AS) activity, and beta2-microglobulin in serum were compared between the two groups during the first 2 weeks of IFN therapy. The clearance rate of serum HCV RNA in group A (86.7%) was significantly higher than that in group B (13.3%) at day 3 (p = 0.0006). No accumulation of IFN-beta was shown in serum throughout the therapy. The ratio (day 3/day 1) of 2'5'-AS activity was significantly higher in group A. Multivariate analysis indicated twice-a-day IFN-beta injection therapy led to significantly early clearance of circulating HCV. Twice-a-day IFN-beta injection therapy could induce biologically enhanced antiviral activities and be an efficient induction therapy for eradication of HCV.
Ikeda
F
F
The First Department of Internal Medicine, Okayama University Medical School, Japan.
Shimomura
H
H
Miyake
M
M
Fujioka
S I
SI
Itoh
M
M
Takahashi
A
A
Iwasaki
Y
Y
Sakaguchi
K
K
Yamamoto
K
K
Higashi
T
T
Tsuji
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral; D016899:Interferon-beta