title: Pegylated-interferon alpha 2a treatment for chronic hepatitis C in patients on chronic haemodialysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the response to pegylated-interferon alpha 2a in chronic hepatitis C patients on chronic haemodialysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients with chronic C hepatitis were enrolled in this study. All had increased aminotransferases for more than 6 mo, positive antiHCV antibodies and positive PCR HCV-RNA. We administrated Peg-Interferon alpha 2a 180 microg/wk for 48 wk. After 12 wk of treatment we evaluated the biochemical and early virological response (EVR). At the end of the treatment we evaluated the biochemical response and 24 wk after the end of the treatment we evaluated the sustained virological response (SVR). We monitored the side-effects during the treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two patients dropped out in the first 12 wk of treatment and 2 after the first 12 wk of treatment. After 12 wk of treatment, 7 out of 8 patients had biochemical response and EVR and 1 had biochemical response but persistent viremia. We had to reduce the dose of pegylated-interferon to 135 mug/wk in 2 cases. Three out of 6 (50%) patients had SVR 24 wk after the end of the treatment. Intention-to-treat analysis showed that 3 out of 10 patients (30%) had SVR. Side-effects occurred in most of the patients (flu-like syndrome, thrombocytopenia or leucopoenia), but they did not impose the discontinuation of treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After 12 wk of treatment with Peg-Interferon alpha 2a (40 ku) in patients on chronic haemodialysis with chronic C hepatitis, EVR was obtained in 87.5% (7/8) of the cases. SVR was achieved in 50% of the cases (3/6 patients) that finished the 48 wk of treatment.
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Department of Gastroenterology, Timisoara, Romania. isporea@excite.com
authors.forename: Ioan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sporea
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Popescu
authors.forename: Roxana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sirli
authors.forename: Ovidiu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Golea
authors.forename: Camelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Totolici
authors.forename: Mirela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Danila
authors.forename: Corina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vernic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a