A six-year follow-up after interferon-alpha monotherapy for chronic hepatitis C infection in hemodialysis patients.
Interferon-alpha (IFN) has been accepted as an effective treatment for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in hemodialysis (HD) patients. We prospectively assess the long-term clinical, biochemical, and virological effects of interferon in the treatment of HD patients with chronic HCV infection. This study was performed in 20 HCV-RNA-positive HD patients with evidence of chronic hepatitis on liver biopsy. The patients received IFN administered after HD sessions in doses ranging from 3 to 6 million units for 6 to 12 months. The patients were followed up for a period of 6 years with determinations of serial alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and serum HCV-RNA. At the time of the final follow-up, the patients had no cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Among the nonresponder group, only 1 patient died due to sudden cardiac death. Sustained normal serum ALT levels occurred in 9 (45%) of the patients. Nine patients had variable ALT levels, and 2 patients had persistently elevated ALT levels. Eight (40%) patients were continuously HCV-RNA negative, whereas 12 patients (60%) had variable HCV-RNA results at the end of the 6-year follow-up. These findings show that the long-term clinical, biochemical, and virological response to interferon monotherapy is good in HD patients with HCV infection.
Ozdemir
Fatma Nurhan
FN
Department of Nephrology, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Akcay
Ali
A
Sezer
Siren
S
Boyacioglu
Sedat
S
Ozdemir
Binnaz Handan
BH
Arat
Zubeyde
Z
Haberal
Mehmet
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha