title: High-dose vitamins E and C supplementation prevents ribavirin-induced hemolytic anemia in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In combination therapy using interferon (IFN) and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C, reduced doses should be used due to ribavirin-induced hemolytic anemia. The present study aimed to elucidate whether high-dose vitamins E and C supplementation attenuated ribavirin-induced hemolytic anemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis C were enrolled in this study between July 2003 and December 2004, and received high-dose vitamins E (2000 mg) and C (2000 mg) supplementation, daily, in addition to IFN alfa-2b and ribavirin combination therapy (vitamins E/C group). Twenty-one sex- and age-matched patients who received a standard regimen of IFN alfa-2b and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C between January 2001 and June 2003 were evaluated as the control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Decrease in hemoglobin level was significantly prevented in the vitamins E and C group compared to that in the control group (P = 0.029). Three (14.3%) patients in the control group discontinued treatment because of anemia, while no treated patient dropped out of the study due to anemia. Sustained virological response was not significantly different between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High-dose vitamins E and C supplementation prevented ribavirin-induced hemolytic anemia during combination therapy with ribavirin and IFN alfa-2b in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Saga Medical School, Saga, Japan.
authors: Yasunori
authors: Y
authors: Kawaguchi
authors: Toshihiko
authors: T
authors: Mizuta
authors: Kazuhiro
authors: K
authors: Takahashi
authors: Shinji
authors: S
authors: Iwane
authors: Keisuke
authors: K
authors: Ario
authors: Hiroaki
authors: H
authors: Kawasoe
authors: Kazuhiro
authors: K
authors: Hamaoka
authors: Yuichiro
authors: Y
authors: Eguchi
authors: Tsutomu
authors: T
authors: Yasutake
authors: Hironao
authors: H
authors: Shigematsu
authors: Seiji
authors: S
authors: Kawazoe
authors: Noriko
authors: N
authors: Fukushima
authors: Iwata
authors: I
authors: Ozaki
authors: Kazuma
authors: K
authors: Fujimoto