title: Comparative study concerning the efficacy of Peg-IFN alpha-2a versus Peg-IFN alpha-2b on the early virological response (EVR) in patients with chronic viral C hepatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pegylated interferons (Peg-IFNs) represent, in association with Ribavirin, the first line of treatment in chronic C viral hepatitis. The AIM of our paper was to compare the efficacy of Peg-IFN alpha 2a (Pegasys) and Peg-IFN alpha 2b (PegIntron) in a group of patients from the Department of Gastroenterology in Timisoara.
  
  
  METHODS
  116 patients with chronic C viral hepatitis were treated. The patients were randomized in chronological order (1:1), so that 58 patients were treated with Peg-IFN alpha 2a 180 microg/kg/week + Ribavirin (group 1) and 58 were treated with Peg-IFN alpha 2b 1.5 microg/kg/week + Ribavirin (group 2). Ribavirin was administered in the recommended doses, according to weight. The mean age was: group 1 -- 49.3 years, group 2 -- 50.9 years (p=0.37). Group 1 consisted of 37 women and 21 men and group 2 of 44 women 14 men (p=0.22). In group 1, 48 patients were naïve (N1), 7 were relapsers after previous treatment (RL1) and 3 non-responders to previous treatment (NR1). In group 2, 33 patients were naive (N2), 18 relapsers (RL2) and 7 non-responders (NR2). After 12 weeks of treatment we evaluated the early virological response (EVR), defined as a drop in the viral load with 2 logs compared to the baseline viremia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The following EVR rates were found: in group 1 (Pegasys) - 82.2% (48/58); in group 2 (PegIntron) -- 67.2% (39/58) (p=0.08). There were also no significant statistical differences between the response rates in the subgroups: naïve patients [89.6% vs. 75.2%, p = 0.61], relapsers [57.1% vs. 66.6%, p = 0.67] and non responders [33.3% vs. 28.6%, p = 1].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our head to head comparative study showed that there are no statistically significant differences in the EVR between the patients treated with Peg-IFN alpha 2a and Peg-IFN alpha 2b.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Str. Ion Bulbuca no.156, Timisoara, Romania. isporea@excite.com
authors.forename: Ioan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sporea
authors.forename: Mircea
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Danila
authors.forename: Roxana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sirli
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Popescu
authors.forename: Ariana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laza
authors.forename: Luminita
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baditoiu
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / 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 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a