title: [Efficacy, influencing factors and safety of PEG-INF alpha-2a (PEG-INF-2a) in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C: analysis of 89 patients].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate the efficacy, influencing factors and safety of PEG-INF alpha-2a (PEG-INF-2a) in the treatment of hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  Totally 89 patients with hepatitis C were included in this study and 46 patients were treated with PEG-INF-2a (180 microg or 135 microg/week) and RBV 900 mg/d, 43 patients were treated with IFNalpha-2a (5 MIU/qod) and RBV 900 mg/d. The time of treatment was 48 weeks, and all the patients were visited 24 weeks after treatment. There were no significant differences between the two groups in pretreatment HCV-RNA, HCV genotype and other clinical data. The main parameters to evaluate the efficacy were virological and biochemical responses. The side effects were intensively observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sustained virological response (SVR) rate in PEG-IFNalpha-2a group was significantly higher than that in IFNalpha-2a group (56.5% and 19.5% respectively, P<0.001). As the patients were divided according to HCV genotype 1 and high virus load, the SVR rate of PEG-INF alpha-2a group was higher than IFNalpha-2a group (P<0.001). However, there was no significant difference between two groups in the patients with non-genotype 1 and low viral load (P=0.664, 0.116). Similar side-effects were observed in PEG-IFNalpha-2a group and IFNalpha-2a group, but the rate of weight decline and the degree of leukocyte decrease were more significant in PEG-INF alpha-2a group than in IFNalpha-2a group (P=0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The efficacy of PEG-INF alpha-2a in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C is superior to that of conventional IFNalpha-2a, PEG-INF alpha-2a had good tolerance and safety profiles.
authors.affiliation: Beijing Youan Hospital, Capialtal University of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100054, China.
authors.forename: Li-na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Xin-yue
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Cheng-li
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Jun-tao
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b