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.
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.
Yokosuka
Osamu
O
Department of Medicine and Clinical Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. yokosukao@faculty.chiba-u.jp
Iwama
Shosuke
S
Suzuki
Noriaki
N
Takashi
Motohide
M
Hirai
Yasuo
Y
Uchiumi
Katsuo
K
Kimura
Michio
M
Gotou
Nobuaki
N
Hino
Shinichi
S
Hayasaka
Akira
A
Kanda
Tatsuo
T
Kawai
Shigenobu
S
Fukai
Kenichi
K
Imazeki
Fumio
F
Saisho
Hiromitsu
H
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
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins