Treatment of recurrent hepatitis C in liver transplants: efficacy of a six versus a twelve month course of interferon alfa 2b with ribavirin.
OBJECTIVE
Interferon (IFN) with ribavirin combination therapy (CT) was proposed for the treatment of hepatitis C recurring in liver transplants. We assessed the efficacy of two protocols of CT in transplanted patients with recurrent severe hepatitis C virus (HCV) hepatitis.


METHODS
Fifty-seven patients (68% genotype 1b) were treated with IFN alfa-2b 3 million units three times weekly and oral ribavirin 800mg/die for 6 or 12 months. Study end-points were the end of treatment (ETVR) and the 12-month post-therapy sustained virologic response (SVR; negative HCV-RNA).


RESULTS
ETVR was induced in 9/27 (33%) and in 7/30 patients (23%) treated, respectively, for 6 and 12 months (P=0.4); a SVR was induced in six (22%) of the former and five (17%) of the latter (P=0.4). HCV genotype non-1 patients responded better than genotype 1 (SVR: 43% in genotype non-1 versus 12% in genotype 1, P: 0.02). In ETV responders the hepatitis activity index improved by >2 points in biopsies taken after therapy compared to pre-therapy biopsies. Anemia and leukopenia required reduction of therapy in 51% of the patients.


CONCLUSIONS
CT is efficacious in controlling HCV disease in about 20% of transplants with recurrent hepatitis C. Six months of therapy are as efficacious as 12 months.
Department of Gastroenterology, Molinette Hospital, C.so Bramante 88, 10126 Turin, Italy.
Bruna
B
Lavezzo
Alessandro
A
Franchello
Antonella
A
Smedile
Ezio
E
David
Anna
A
Barbui
Maria
M
Torrani
Antonio
A
Ottobrelli
Fausto
F
Zamboni
Maurizio
M
Fadda
Adriana
A
Bobbio
Mauro
M
Salizzoni
Mario
M
Rizzetto
D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001706:Biopsy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012008:Recurrence; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin