title: High sustained virologic response rate after interferon monotherapy in Japanese hepatitis C patients with a low HCV RNA titer and/or HCV genotype 2. A prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA titer and HCV genotype are considered to be major determinants of the outcome of interferon monotherapy. To clarify whether interferon monotherapy is really effective in patients with the appropriate viral parameters, we prospectively examined these parameters and treated the patients with interferon monotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four patients with an HCV RNA titer <100 kIU/ml and/or HCV genotype 2 were enrolled in the study. Eighteen patients with an HCV RNA titer >100 kIU/ml and genotype 1 were also enrolled as controls. All patients were treated with 10 megaunits of interferon-alpha2b every day for 2 weeks and then 3 times a week for 24 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 64 patients with either HCV RNA <100 kIU/ml and/or genotype 2, seven dropped out from the study. Of the remaining 57 who completed the treatment, 48 (84%) showed a virologic sustained response. In contrast, only 4 of the 18 patients (22%) with HCV RNA >100 kIU/ml and genotype 1 were virologic sustained responders (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our current study showed that the patients with HCV RNA <100 kIU/ml and/or HCV genotype 2 are good candidates for interferon monotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Clinical Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. yokosukao@faculty.chiba-u.jp
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yokosuka
authors.forename: Shosuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwama
authors.forename: Noriaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Motohide
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takashi
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.forename: Katsuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uchiumi
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Nobuaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gotou
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hino
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hayasaka
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanda
authors.forename: Shigenobu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukai
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Imazeki
authors.forename: Hiromitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saisho
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins