title: Induction interferon therapy in naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C: increased end-of-treatment virological responses but absence of long-term benefit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The low efficacy of interferon monotherapy and data from viral kinetic studies led us to evaluate the efficacy of interferon administered daily in chronic hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-eight naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C and active liver disease randomly received 3 or 5 MU IFN-alpha daily for 1 month, followed by the same dose three times a week for 11 months. Results were compared to a three-times-a-week scheme of 3 MU IFN-alpha for 1 year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of the induction period, 27 out of 38 (71%) patients had cleared HCV-RNA with a significantly higher rate in the 5 MU than in the 3 MU group (17 out of 18 or 94% vs. 10 out of 20 or 50%, P=0.003). The end-of-treatment virological response rate was 66% (25 out of 38) in the induction groups and 40% (10 out of 25) in the control group (P=0.04). Six months after completion of therapy, the sustained response rate dropped to 29% (11 out of 38) compared to 28% (7 out of 25) in the standard regimen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In chronic hepatitis C, treatment with 5 or 3 MU IFN-alpha daily during the first month of a standard IFN regimen leads to significantly increased end-of-treatment virological responses, but long-term responses are similar to those of standard IFN monotherapy.
authors: Academic Department of Medicine, Hippokration General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors: A S
authors: AS
authors: Hadziyannis
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Papaioannou
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Spanou
authors: E K
authors: EK
authors: Manesis
authors: S J
authors: SJ
authors: Hadziyannis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral