Treatment of chronic hepatitis C in hemophilic patients.
Chronic hepatitis C infection is common among hemophiliacs in all the developed countries. Since 1996, only alpha-interferon (alpha-IFN) in monotherapy has been used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in hemophiliacs (6 patients). In Czech Republic a combination therapy with alpha-IFN and ribavirin has been used since 1999 (13 patients). Finally, a combination therapy with pegylated alpha-IFN (PEG-alpha-IFN) and ribavirin is being used since 2001 (still 3 patients). In all cases, the treatment lasted 48 weeks. A sustained virological response (SVR, defined as an undetectable serum HCV RNA level 24 weeks after the treatment was completed) was not achieved in any of 6 patients treated with alpha-IFN alone. A combination therapy with alpha-IFN and ribavirin yielded better results: four of eight patients still untreated with alpha-IFN (naive patients), one of two relapsers, and one of three non-responders to previous alpha-IFN monotherapy achieved SVR. So far the combination therapy with PEG-alpha-IFN and ribavirin has been used only in 3 patients. SVR was achieved in one patient who had relapsed after the combination therapy with IFN-alpha and ribavirin, and in 1 of 2 non-responders to this therapy. We conclude that the efficacy and tolerability of the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in hemophiliacs did not differ from that of chronic hepatitis C in other patients.
Husa
P
P
Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Brno, Jihlavska 20, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic. phusa@med.muni.cz
Smejkal
P
P
Husová
L
L
Penka
M
M
D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000150:complications*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007370:Interferon Type I; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin