Twice-a-day versus once-a-day interferon-beta therapy in chronic hepatitis C.
OBJECTIVE
The intravenous administration of interferon-beta may be effective for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, as is intramuscular interferon-beta. We compared the efficacy and safety of twice-a-day versus once-a-day of natural interferon-beta for the initial treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C.


METHODS
Forty-nine patients with chronic hepatitis C, with less than 5 Meq/mL serum hepatitis C virus-RNA, were randomly assigned into one of the two treatment groups A and B and treated with natural interferon-beta following two different protocols. Twenty-two patients were treated with twice-a-day interferon-beta (3 MU) for 3 weeks followed by once-a-day interferon-beta (6 MU) for 5 weeks (group A), and 20 patients were treated with once-a-day interferon-beta (6 MU) for 8 weeks (group B). Seven patients did not complete the treatment protocol. Efficacy was assessed by measuring the serum levels of hepatitis C virus-RNA and aminotransferase.


RESULTS
The rate of sustained virological response was significantly higher in group A (14 of 22 patients, 63.6%) than in group B (6 of 20 patients, 30.0%) (P < 0.05). Among patients with hepatitis C virus-RNA level less than 1 Meq/mL, the sustained virological response rate was significantly higher in group A (13 of 15 patients, 86.7%) than in group B (5 of 12 patients, 41.7%) (P < 0.05). However, the sustained virological response rate in patients with hepatitis C virus levels more than 1 Meq/mL was not significantly different between group A (1 of 7 patients, 14.3%) and group B (1 of 8 patients, 12.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
Twice-a-day interferon-beta therapy is more effective than once-a-day interferon-beta for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C patients with hepatitis C virus-RNA levels less than 1 Meq/mL.
Kaito
Masahiko
M
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Mie University School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu-City, Mie, Japan 514-8507. kaitoma@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp
Yasui-Kawamura
Noriko
N
Iwasa
Motoh
M
Kobayashi
Yoshinao
Y
Nakagawa
Naoki
N
Fujita
Naoki
N
Ikoma
Jiro
J
Gabazza
Esteban C
EC
Watanabe
Shozo
S
Adachi
Yukihiko
Y
D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral; D016899:Interferon-beta