title: Peginterferon alfa-2b treatment for patients affected by acute hepatitis C: presentation of six case reports.
abstract: Acute hepatitis C often progresses to chronic infection (70%). In this clinical study, we evaluated if early treatment with peginterferon alfa-2b can prevent acute hepatitis C from developing into a chronic disease. Six patients with acute hepatitis C, based on a well-documented hepatitis C virus (HCV) seroconversion with high alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels (> 10 x ULN) and persistent HCV RNA titers after 3 months from disease onset, were consecutively treated with peginterferon alfa-2b at 1.5 microg/kg/weekly/sc for 24 weeks. The viral load was quantified by PCR assay. Response was defined as undetectable HCV RNA and normal ALT levels at the end of therapy and after a 6-month follow-up. All patients completed therapy; at the end of therapy, 5/6 patients (83%) responded and no relapses were observed during follow-up. No correlation was found between treatment response and pretreatment viral load, viral genotype, and interval between acute infection diagnosis and start of therapy.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Clinic, University of Foggia, Via L. Pinto 1, I-71100 Foggia, Italy. gaescot@tin.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scotto
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Palumbo
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fazio
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Cibelli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saracino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Angarano
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b