title: Alpha interferon and ribavirin combination therapy of chronic hepatitis D.
abstract: The success of alpha interferon (IFN-alpha) monotherapy for the treatment of chronic hepatitis D is very limited. In this study, the efficacy of IFN-alpha and ribavirin combination therapy for chronic hepatitis D was investigated. Nineteen patients (15 males; mean age +/- standard deviation, 36.8 +/- 12.8 years) with chronic hepatitis D who were treated with IFN-alpha2b (10 million U, three times/week, subcutaneously) and ribavirin (1,000 to 1,200 mg/day, orally) for 24 months were studied. All patients had compensated liver disease (15 were precirrhotic), elevated transaminase levels, and hepatitis D virus RNA positivity at baseline. Genotypic analyses revealed hepatitis D virus genotype I and hepatitis B virus genotype D. All patients completed the 24 months of treatment and at least 6 months (7 to 19 months) of a follow-up period. Biochemical responses were observed in eight patients (42.1%) at the end of treatment and in seven patients (36.8%) at the end of follow-up. Eight patients (42.1%) at the end of treatment and four patients (21%) at the end of follow-up had virological responses. In conclusion, combination treatment of IFN-alpha and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis D is not able to induce virological responses at a sufficient rate, despite its partial effectiveness in improving biochemical responses, and is not superior to IFN-alpha monotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterohepatology, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Capa, 34390, Istanbul, Turkey. kaymakoglus@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Sabahattin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaymakoglu
authors.forename: Cetin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Karaca
authors.forename: Kadir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.forename: Sule
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Poturoglu
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Danalioglu
authors.forename: Selim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Badur
authors.forename: Murvet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bozaci
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Besisik
authors.forename: Yilmaz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cakaloglu
authors.forename: Atilla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okten
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin
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