title: [Short-term therapy with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin for the chronic hepatitis C genotype 2 patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The standard treatment for chronic hepatitis C patients infected with HCV genotype-2 is a combination of pegylated interferon alfa and ribavirin over a 24 week period. It is unclear if a shorter treatment duration is possible for patients showing a rapid virological response (RVR) without compromising the sustained virologic response (SVR) in Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  42 patients chronically infected with the HCV genotype-2 were treated with peginterferon alfa-2a 180 mcg/wk plus ribavirin 800 mg/d for 24 weeks and followed up for 24 weeks. The HCV RNA was qualitatively assessed after 4 weeks of treatment, and RVR was defined as undetectable HCV RNA at the 4th week. Retrospectively, 26 patients were treated with the standard treatment strategy (>/=80% of the intended duration and dosage), 14 patients with a short-term treatment strategy (<80% intended duration and dosage) and 2 patients were excluded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 42 patients, 35 patients (83%) had RVR and 38 patients (90%) had a sustained virologic response (SVR). All 7 patients without RVR were treated with the standard treatment strategy, in whom 6 patients (86%) had SVR. Among the 35 patients with RVR, 14 patients were treated with short-term treatment and 19 patients were treated with the standard treatment. SVR was obtained in 12 out of the 14 patients (86%) in the short-term treatment group and 18 out of the 19 (95%) in the standard treatment group (P=0.373).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HCV genotype-2 patients who have RVR with peginterferon and ribavirin treatment can be treated with a short-term treatment without compromising the chances for SVR. However, an additional trial will be needed to optimize the treatment duration.
authors: Department of Internal medicine, Inje University College of Medicine, Paik Hospital, Busan, Korea.
authors: Eun Uk
authors: EU
authors: Jung
authors: Ji Hun
authors: JH
authors: Park
authors: Kyung Im
authors: KI
authors: Pae
authors: Suk Woo
authors: SW
authors: Kang
authors: Sung Jae
authors: SJ
authors: Park
authors: Sam Ryong
authors: SR
authors: Jee
authors: Eun Tak
authors: ET
authors: Park
authors: Youn Jae
authors: YJ
authors: Lee
authors: Sang Hyuk
authors: SH
authors: Lee
authors: Sang Young
authors: SY
authors: Seol
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; 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; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a