High initial dose combination regimen with interferon-alpha and ribavirin in chronic hepatitis C.
OBJECTIVE
Combination of interferon-alpha and ribavirin becomes the antiviral therapy of choice for chronic hepatitis C. The aim of this trial was to assess the efficacy of two combination treatment strategies: standard regimen Interferon-alpha 3 MU three times per week (group A) and initial high dose Interferon 6 MU daily for 2 weeks followed by intermittent administration 3 MU three times per week (group B), plus Ribavirin in naive and relapsed patients with chronic hepatitis C.


METHODS
Twenty-four patients (group A, 6; group B, 18) received medication for median 6 months (range, 5-12) and followed for 6 months. Primary end-point of therapy was a sustained virologic response. Statistical analysis was performed with a t test or non-parametric Mann-Whitney and chi-square test.


RESULTS
At the end of the follow-up the overall sustained response rate was 42%: 6 of 18 (33.3%) patients with induction and 4 of 6 (66.6%) with standard regimen. Patients with sustained virologic response received higher interferon dose (423.7 +/- 102.2 MU) at extended duration of therapy (9.8 +/- 2.9 months) versus patients with non-sustained response (p < 0.05). The difference in sustained response rate in both treatment regimens was nonsignificant.


CONCLUSIONS
High initial dose therapy does not enhance virologic response, compared to standard combination regimen.
Department of Internal Medicine, Clinic of Hepatogastroenterology, University Hospital St. Marina, 1 Hristo Smirnenski Str., Varna 9010, Bulgaria. iskren@mail.vega.bg
Iskren
I
Kotzev
Irina
I
Ivanova
Maria
M
Atanassova
Antonia
A
Atanassova
Viara
V
Glinkova
Diana
D
Gancheva
Ivan
I
Shalev
Bogomila
B
Manevska
Ivan
I
Krasnaliev
Stela
S
Tomcheva
D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019562:Viral Load
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012254:Ribavirin