title: Effectiveness of interferon plus ribavirin combination in the treatment of naive patients with hepatitis C virus type 5. A French multicentre retrospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the rate of sustained virological response in naïve hepatitis C virus-type 5 patients treated by standard interferon or pegylated-interferon [corrected] (peg-interferon) and ribavirin combination for 48 weeks.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 87 hepatitis C virus patients were included from 12 centres in France; 28 patients received interferon plus ribavirin and 59 were treated with peg-interferon plus ribavirin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline characteristics were: mean age 58 +/- 11 years, sex ratio 1, 66% had metavir fibrosis score >or=F2, 21% were cirrhotics and 53% had pretherapeutic viral load >or=800,000 IU/mL. Sustained virological response was achieved in 64% and 58% of hepatitis C virus-5 patients treated with interferon and peg-interferon, respectively (NS). In adherent patients, sustained virological response was obtained in 75% of patients. Sustained virological response in hepatitis C virus-5 patients (60%) was significantly higher than sustained virological response in hepatitis C virus-1 patients (37%) (P = 0.0499) and not significantly different from sustained virological response in hepatitis C virus-2-3 patients (63%) (P = 0.8098).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combination therapy is effective in 60% of hepatitis C virus-5-infected patients. Sustained virological response seems better in hepatitis C virus-5 patients than in hepatitis C virus-1 patients, and is similar to that of hepatitis C virus-2-3 patients. More studies are needed to determine optimal duration of treatment in hepatitis C virus-5 patients.
authors.affiliation: Service d'Hépato-Gastroentérologie, Hôtel-Dieu, Clermont-Ferrand, France. cbonny@chu-clermontferrand.fr
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bonny
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fontaine
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Poynard
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hézode
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Larrey
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marcellin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bourlière
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bronowicki
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Merle
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Zarski
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sapey
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guillemard
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ughetto
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Henquell
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nicolas
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roche
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Randl
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bommelaer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abergel
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D012254:Ribavirin; D007372:Interferons