Peginterferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin compared with interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin for initial treatment of chronic hepatitis C in Saudi patients commonly infected with genotype 4.
OBJECTIVE
Comparing the efficacy of peginterferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin with interferon alpha -2b plus ribavirin in Saudi patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) commonly infected with genotype 4.


METHODS
A total of 96 patients with chronic HCV infection were randomly assigned to two treatment groups. Forty-eight patients received once weekly 100 microg of peginterferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin given orally 800 mg/day (peginterferon group). Another 48 patients received thrice weekly 3 million units of interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin 800 mg/day (interferon group). At the end of treatment (48 weeks) and sustained (72 weeks) biochemical and virologic responses were determined.


RESULTS
In the peginterferon group, 70.8% (34/48) patients attained both biochemical and virologic responses at the end of the treatment as against 52.1% (25/48) patients in the interferon group. (P=0.09 for both). Similarly, sustained biochemical and virologic responses in the peginterferon group were attained in 52.1% (25/48) and 43.8% (21/48) patients as against 43.8% (21/48) and 29.2% (14/48) patients in the interferon group, respectively (P=0.54 and 0.20, respectively). The sustained virologic response rates in patients with genotype 4 were 42.9% (12/28) in the peginterferon group and 32.3% (10/31) in the interferon group (P=0.43). Patients in peginterferon group had higher, although statistically not significant adverse reactions.


CONCLUSIONS
Saudi patients with chronic HCV attained a higher, although statistically not significant sustained virologic response with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin compared with interferon plus ribavirin.
Alfaleh
F Z
FZ
College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Hadad
Q
Q
Khuroo
M S
MS
Aljumah
A
A
Algamedi
A
A
Alashgar
H
H
Al-Ahdal
M N
MN
Mayet
I
I
Khan
M Q
MQ
Kessie
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011336:Probability; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b