Induction interferon therapy in naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C: increased end-of-treatment virological responses but absence of long-term benefit.
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.
Hadziyannis
A S
AS
Academic Department of Medicine, Hippokration General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Papaioannou
C
C
Spanou
F
F
Manesis
E K
EK
Hadziyannis
S J
SJ
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
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral