Successful application of highly purified natural interferon alpha (multiferon) in a chronic hepatitis C patient resistant to preceding treatment approaches.
A currently 65-year-old patient with histologically proven chronic hepatitis C and chronic hepatitis B (seroconversion in 1990) and additional compensated cirrhosis of the liver (Child A) achieved sustained complete biochemical and viral response following 5 and 14 months respectively of therapy with highly purified natural leukocyte interferon-alpha (3 x 3 MU weekly, nIFN-alpha, Multiferon). Prior to this treatment, various other therapy approaches including recombinant interferon-alpha2b (rIFN-alpha2b) or a combination of natural interferon-beta (nIFN-beta) and interferon-gamma (rIFN-gamma) had been carried out. Unfortunately, these had been unsuccessful. After a total treatment period of 76 months with nIFN-alpha and a subsequent follow-up period of 30 months, no relapse of chronic hepatitis C occurred. The patient's tolerance of the treatment was excellent and no substantial drug-related adverse events were observed. nIFN-alpha, which - unlike the recombinant IFN-alpha2 preparations - is a mixture of various physiologically expressed IFN-alpha subtypes, could possibly be an alternative in the treatment of difficult-to-treat patients with chronic hepatitis C.
Musch
Eugen
E
Department of General Internal Medicine, Marienhospital Bottrop gGmbH, Germany. eugen.musch@mhb-bottrop.de
Malek
Mouhamad
M
von Eick
Harald
H
Chrissafidou
Angeliki
A
D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha