Combination therapy with interferon-alpha 2b and ribavirin for the treatment of relapse patients and non-responders with chronic HCV infection.
BACKGROUND
Treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C after failure of an interferon monotherapy remains controversial. While relapse patients have a sustained response after a combination therapy with interferon-alpha 2b 3 x 3 MU/week plus ribavirin 1,000/1,200 mg daily for 24 weeks in up to 49%, the standard therapy for initial non-responders remains to be determined.


METHODS
We therefore conducted a large multicenter trial to compare efficacy and safety of a combined interferon/ribavirin therapy in 327 non-responders and 181 relapse patients with chronic HCV infection outside of highly specialized institutions.


RESULTS
After 6 months therapy with interferon-alpha-2b 3 MU thrice a week plus ribavirin 1,000/1,200 mg daily for 24 weeks 31% of relapse patients and 11% of initial non-responders achieved a sustained response according to an intent to treat analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
These data could not confirm the high rate of sustained responders in relapse patients. In addition we were only able to induce a sustained response in every tenth non-responder. These results might reflect the realistic sustained response rates in a non-biased European population of HCV-infected patients.
Kallinowski
B
B
Dept. of Internal Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Germany. birgit_kallinowski@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Liehr
H
H
Moeller
B
B
Stremmel
W
W
Wechsler
J G
JG
Wiese
M
M
Goeser
T
T
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012008:Recurrence; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin