An open-label trial of consensus interferon 15 µg in the treatment of Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis C.
Consensus interferon (CIFN), a novel recombinant type 1 interferon (IFN), has been used recently to treat patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. CIFN 9 µg, given subcutaneously 3 times a week for 24 weeks, offers sustained biochemical and virological responses in 32% of Chinese patients studied in Taiwan. Whether a higher dosage of CIFN will have greater efficacy is of clinical interest. This open-label trial was conducted to determine the efficacy and safety of CIFN 15 µg, given subcutaneously 3 times a week for 24 weeks, in 35 Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis C who in a previous randomized, controlled CIFN trial received placebo (n=16) or showed no sustained response to CIFN 3 µg (n=14) or 9 µg (n=5), 3 times a week for 24 weeks. Efficacy was assessed by normalization of serum alanine transaminase (ALT) levels and clearance of serum HCV RNA to undetectable levels as measured by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results showed 14 of 35 patients (40%) achieved normalized serum ALT and cleared serum HCV RNA at the end of treatment, and 11 patients (31%) maintained a sustained response 24 weeks after treatment was discontinued. The sustained response rate was 31% in patients who had received a placebo injection in the previous trial, 36% in patients who had relapsed or not responded to previous CIFN 3 µg treatment, and 20% in patients who had relapsed or not responded to previous CIFN 9 µg treatment (P>0.05). Upon re-treatment with CIFN 15 µg, sustained response was achieved in two of three patients who had relapsed from previous CIFN 3 µg treatment and in one of three patients who had relapsed from previous CIFN 9 µg treatment. CIFN 15 µg re-treatment achieved a sustained response in three of eleven patients and in none of two patients who were non-responders from previous CIFN 3 µg or CIFN 9 µg treatments respectively. Patients tolerated the treatment well, but two patients withdrew from the study due to intolerable side effects. In conclusion, subcutaneous injection of CIFN 15 µg, 3 times a week for 24 weeks, showed a similar efficacy as CIFN 9 µg 3 times a week treatment in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis C. The treatment may benefit patients who have relapsed from a previous 3 µg or 9 µg treatment.
Hwang
S -J.
S
Department of Family Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, 201 Section 2 Shih-Pai Road, ROC, Taipei, Taiwan
Lee
S -D.
S
Chu
C -W.
C
Lu
R -H.
R
Chang
F -Y.
F