title: Discrepancy in virological and biochemistry response of patients with chronic hepatitis HCV positive on treatment with PEG-IFN plus ribavirin.
abstract: Combination therapy of PEG-IFN alpha-2a o alpha-2b plus ribavirin represents a further improvement in treatment of chronic hepatitis HCV+ with a sustained virological response (SVR) either in monotherapy (25-39%) either in association with ribavirin (59-56%). SVR is highly predictable: 75% of all patients who achieve viral clearance at week 12 (EVR), if they had an adherence > 80% of planned therapy, they become sustained viral responders. In spite of virological response, 16-34% of patients on PEG-IFN monotherapy have high value of ALT, and this make them to reduce adherence. 62 patients whith chronic hepatitis HCV+ and no corrhosis, have been treated for 48 weeks with PEG-IFN and ribavirin to evaluate discrepancy incidence between virological (HCVRNA < 200UI) and biochemical (normal value of ALT) response of patients treated with PEG-IFN plus ribavirin and to verify the impact that stuch discrepancy can produce on SVR of treated patients. Our preliminary data confirm that PEG-IFN bring a superior virological response than biochemical one, either on naive patients either on experienced ones even with ribavirin in association. It will be useful to verify if this discepancy cause a superior SVR as already reported by several studies. Even the follow-up of our 5 discordant patients confirm this trend.
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a