title: Short-term interferon-alfa therapy for acute hepatitis C: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: Acute hepatitis C often progresses to chronic infection. We undertook a randomized controlled trial to determine whether short-term therapy with interferon (IFN) during acute hepatitis C is effective in preventing the development of chronic hepatitis. Thirty patients with acute hepatitis C were randomized into 1 of 2 treatment groups. IFN therapy was initiated 8 weeks after the onset of acute hepatitis in the early-intervention group and after 1 year of observation in the late-intervention group. Short-term therapy consisted of natural IFN-alfa (6 million units) administered on consecutive days for a period of 4 weeks. Any signs of recrudescence of disease were immediately followed by interval IFN therapy (3 times weekly for 20 weeks). In the early-intervention group, short-term therapy was associated with a sustained virological response in 13 of 15 patients (87%). Follow-up treatment was associated with a sustained virological response in both of the remaining 2 patients (100%). The sustained virological response rate was significantly higher in the early-intervention group (87%, 13 of 15 patients after short-term therapy alone, and 100%, 15 of 15 patients after short-term with or without follow-up therapy) than in the late-intervention group (40%, 6 of 15 patients after short-term therapy alone, and 53%, 8 of 15 patients after short-term therapy with or without follow-up therapy, P =.021 and P =.006, respectively). In conclusion, short-term (4 weeks) IFN treatment of patients with acute hepatitis C may be associated with satisfactory results, if initiated at an early stage of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Shin-Kokura Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan. h-nomura@shin-kokura.gr.jp
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: Suketo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sou
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanimoto
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagahama
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: Seizaburo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kashiwagi
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral