Interferon plus amantadine versus interferon alone in the treatment of naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C: a UK multicentre study.
OBJECTIVE
The antiviral agent amantadine may have activity against the hepatitis C virus. To determine whether the combination of interferon-alpha plus amantadine was more effective than interferon monotherapy we conducted a multicentre clinical trial in untreated patients with chronic hepatitis C infection.


METHODS
We performed a pilot study in two centres (36 patients) to determine the number needed for a statistically significant clinical trial and then conducted a multicentre, randomized controlled clinical trial involving 14 centres and 143 patients.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference in sustained response rates in patients receiving interferon and amantadine compared to those receiving interferon alone. The on treatment response rate at 3 months was 65% on combination vs. 49% on interferon alone (P = 0.05) while the sustained response was 18 and 15%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Combination therapy with interferon plus amantadine does not lead to a significant increase in sustained response rates when compared to interferon monotherapy.
Caronia
S
S
Department of Medicine, St Mary's Hospital ICSM, London, UK.
Bassendine
M F
MF
Barry
R
R
Mills
P
P
Naoumov
N V
NV
Fox
R
R
Lowes
J
J
Hollanders
D
D
Murray-Lyon
L
L
Irving
W L
WL
Goldin
R D
RD
Foster
G R
GR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000547:Amantadine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D000547:Amantadine