title: Treatment effects and predictors of a 24-week course of interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin combination therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In chronic hepatitis C patients with genotype 1b and a high viral load, the sustained virological response (SVR) rate remained as low as 2-3% with conventional interferon (IFN) monotherapy, but improved to more than 20% with IFN alpha-2b plus ribavirin combination therapy. This study examined the therapeutic effects and predictors of this combination therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were 105 patients with chronic hepatitis C (73 males, 32 females) with a median age of 53 years (range 19-70 years). Seventy-two patients had genotype lb and 33 patients had genotype 2 (2a or 2b). Six million units (MU) or 10 MU of IFN alpha-2b was administered by intramuscular injection six times a week for the first 2 weeks, and the same amount of IFN was administered three times a week for the following 22 weeks. During the IFN administration period, 600-800 mg of oral ribavirin was administered daily. Patients who were hepatitis C virus (HCV)-RNA negative 24 weeks after the completion of administration were defined as SVR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall SVR rate was 39%; 22.2% for the genotype 1b group and 75.8% for the genotype 2 group, and the difference between the groups was significant (P < 0.0001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the factors that contributed to SVR include genotype 2, age (younger than 53 years), and an increase in Th2 measured by flow cytometry before and 4 weeks after start of treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall SVR rate of IFN alpha-2b plus ribavirin combination therapy for 24 weeks was 39%, and contributing factors for SVR rate include genotype 2, age younger than 53 years and elevated Th2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Daini Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. masahiko@foresight.bias.ne.jp
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomimatsu
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aizawa
authors.forename: Yoshimichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chuganji
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishizuka
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Ryouichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aizawa
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Itou
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ushiyama
authors.forename: Teruhisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Higuchi
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Endou
authors.forename: Daijiro
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Iga
authors.forename: Kazuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohta
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuroda
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin