title: Treatment with pegylated interferon alpha-2b and ribavirin in patients unresponsive to previous treatments with standard interferon as monotherapy or combined with ribavirin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little information is available on the effect of pegylated interferon (PEG) and ribavirin (RBV) in patients with chronic hepatitis due to virus C (CHC) who were non-responders to previous treatment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate response to treatment in patients who were non-responders to previous treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and twenty-four patients who were non-responders to previous treatment were included. All patients were treated with PEG alpha 2b interferon (dose: 1.5 mg/kg body weight) and RBV (weight-dependent dosage). A qualitative PCR of virus C after six months was evaluated. In those in whom this was positive, treatment was discontinued; in those who were negative treatment was continued to the end of the year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Response following treatment (RFT) was 35.4% (44 patients), and sustained viral response (SVR) 29.8% (37 patients). No relation was observed between RFT, SVR and any previous treatment. RFT was dependent on low initial viremia and SVR was significantly and independently related to low serum hepatitis C RNA and a non-1 genotype. In general, treatment was well tolerated. Medication was discontinued in 5 patients, and doses reduced in 18.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On retreatment with PEG and RBV a SVR of 29.8% was achieved in patients who had not responded to previous treatment, so its use in this group of patients is indicated.
authors: Hepatic Unit, Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, Spain. canicer_fer@gva.es
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Carnicer
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Zapater
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Gutiérrez
authors: A
authors: A
authors: García
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Ruiz
authors: M
authors: M
authors: López
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b