title: Interferon plus ribavirin in patients with hepatitis C virus positive mixed cryoglobulinemia resistant to interferon.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Only a small fraction of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) positive mixed cryoglobulinemia achieve longterm recovery after interferon (IFN) therapy; we evaluated the effectiveness and safety of combination therapy (interferon plus ribavirin) in nonresponders or those who relapsed after one or more courses of IFN.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven patients with HCV positive mixed cryoglobulinemia were studied. All were treated with IFN-a2b (3 MU 3 times weekly) for one year, plus daily oral ribavirin 1000 or 1200 mg.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five patients (18.5%) obtained complete recovery from viral infection and from all signs and symptoms of disease. During treatment, most patients (85%) improved clinically. All 5 responders were "relapsers" to the first treatment(s).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combination therapy of IFN plus ribavirin could be useful for patients with mixed cryoglobulinemia resistant to IFN as monotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Second Medical Unit, S. Maria degli Angeli Hospital, Pordenone, Italy.
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mazzaro
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zorat
authors.forename: Consuelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Comar
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nascimben
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bianchini
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baracetti
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Donada
authors.forename: Valter
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Donadon
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pozzato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001706:Biopsy; D022801:Complementarity Determining Regions / Q000032:analysis; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; 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
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D022801:Complementarity Determining Regions; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin