[Incidence of haemolytic anaemia during combination therapy of chronic hepatitis C with interferon alpha-2b and ribavirin].
OBJECTIVE
Analysis of incidence of haemolytic anaemia during INF-alpha + ribavirin (RBV) treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC).


METHODS
95 patients (M=64, F=31, mean age: 42.5 +/- 11.9) with CHC. All patients received IFN-alpha 3 MU three times a week and 1000-1200 mg of RBV daily. Basic haematological and biochemical parameters were checked. HCV-RNA (Cobas Amplicor, Roche) was checked before and after 6 months of therapy.


RESULTS
After the first month of treatment a reduction of haemoglobin level occurred at 30% patients (not always characteristic for anaemia), an increase of the total bilirubin was observed in 16.8%, ferrum in 15.8%, while that of lactate dehydrogenase only in 22.1%. 37% of the patients required a reduction of ribavirin doses. No patient had treatment stopped because of side effects.


CONCLUSIONS
Lower HGB, RBC, WBC, HCT and PLT levels and raised total and unconjugated bilirubin levels were the most frequent changes observed during the combined antiviral treatment. Improvement of haematological and biochemical parameters most often occurs spontaneously or after RBV dose reduction. Presence of haemolytic anaemia does not require stopping of RBV treatment, but only RBV dose reduction. At about 2/3 of patients who start therapy with interferon and RBV treatment has to be continued up to 48 weeks.
Adamek
Agnieszka
A
Oddział Chorób Zakaźnych ZOZ Poznań Stare Miasto. ab.adamek@wp.pl
Adamek
Jacek
J
Juszczyk
Jacek
J
D000328:Adult; D000743:Anemia, Hemolytic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin