title: Factors influencing treatment efficacy of 24-week combination therapy with interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: The efficacy of a combination therapy of interferon (IFN) alpha-2b plus ribavirin (RBV) in chronic hepatitis C, and the factors contributing to efficacy, were investigated. One hundred eighty-six cases were enrolled in this study and treated with a combination of IFN alpha-2b plus RBV. IFN alpha-2b was administered at 6-10 mega-units daily for 2-4 weeks and three times per week for 20-22 weeks, in combination with oral intake of RBV at 600 or 800 mg for 24 weeks. Rates of sustained virological response (SVR) were 34.9% in serogroup 1 (SG1) and 82.5% in SG2. SVR rates in cases with both drugs discontinued, reduced, and unchanged were 4.2%, 40%, and 42.7% in SG1 and 42.9%, 76.9%, and 91.9%, in SG2. In terms of the total RBV dose per kilogram body weight, SVR rates were 14.3% and 46.2% with <1600 mg, 36.2% and 91.7% with 1600-2000 mg, and 62.1% and 95% with > or =2000 mg in SG1 and SG2, respectively. Total doses of RBV per body weight and negative HCV RNA at 8 weeks were the significant factors contributing to SVR in SG1 cases. These results indicate that it was critical to tailor the doses of RBV and IFN to the individual. To improve the rate of SVR, it is necessary to make efforts, where possible, not to discontinue drug use or reduce the drug dose.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1 Oyaguchi-kamimachi, Itabashiku, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan. moriyama@med.nihon-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Mitsuhiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moriyama
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.forename: Kazushige
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nirei
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arakawa
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamagami
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amaki
authors.forename: Naohide
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arakawa
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001706:Biopsy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004333:Drug Administration Routes; 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* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; 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; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin