Preliminary study of combination therapy with interferon-alpha and zinc in chronic hepatitis C patients with genotype 1b.
We have evaluated the efficacy of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) plus zinc therapy in hepatitis C patients with genotype 1b, poor responders for IFN alone. Ten patients were injected with 10 MU of IFN-alpha every day for 4 wk, followed by three times a week for 20 wk (control group). Nine patients took 300 mg of zinc sulfate a day orally during IFN-alpha therapy (zinc sulfate group), and 15 patients took IFN-alpha and 150 mg of polaprezinc (polaprezinc group). On the d 8 of IFN therapy, circadian zinc levels in serum elevated significantly in the polaprezinc group compared to the zinc sulfate group or control group. Serum ALT levels normalized in 73.3% of the polaprezinc group, 55.6% of the zinc sulfate group, and 40.0% of the control group at 6 mo after the end of IFN therapy. Sustained eradication for the hepatitis C virus RNA judged at the end of the 6-mo follow-up period was higher in the polaprezinc group than in the zinc sulfate group (53.3% vs 11.1%, p < 0.05) or the control group (20.0%). No clinical side effects of zinc were observed at the dose used. The data suggest that polaprezinc is expected to increase the therapeutic response of IFN-alpha for chronic hepatitis C with genotype 1b.
Nagamine
T
T
Department of Health Science, Gunma University School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
Takagi
H
H
Takayama
H
H
Kojima
A
A
Kakizaki
S
S
Mori
M
M
Nakajima
K
K
D002336:Carnosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase / Q000097:blood; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015032:Zinc / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017967:Zinc Compounds; D019287:Zinc Sulfate / Q000627:therapeutic use
D016898:Interferon-alpha; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D012367:RNA, Viral; D017967:Zinc Compounds; C061957:polaprezinc; D019287:Zinc Sulfate; D002336:Carnosine; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase; D015032:Zinc