title: [Toxicity of the treatment of chronic hepatitis C with peginterferon alpha (2a or 2b) plus ribavirin in patients not previously treated].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The adverse reactions (ADR) derived from the treatment of hepatitis C with peginterferon alpha and ribavirin causes dose reductions and discontinuations of the treatment that compromise its efectiveness. The aims of this study are to determine the ADR that the patients have presented according to the type of peginterferon alpha, and the effect of these in treatment duration and accumulated dose.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort, prospective and longitudinal study (from November 2002 to April 2006), with monoinfected patients not previously treated (group A: peginterferon alpha-2a plus ribavirin; group B: peginterferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group A: 93 patients; group B: 115. Hematologyc ADR: neutropenia, 24% vs. 26.90%; anemia: 12.50% vs. 9.60%. Not hematologyc ADR: fatigue, 73.10% vs 74.80%; fever (> 38 degrees C), 81.70% vs 86.10%. Permanency in treatment < 80%: 18.3% in group A patients vs. 9.5% in group B patients. Accumulated dose of peginterferon < 80%: 13.9% in group A patients vs. 11.3% in group B patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We haven't found differences in the safety profile of both peginterferons, though the patients treated with peginterferon alpha-2b shows a higher permanency in the treatment and a percentage of total received doses > 80% of the theoretical ones.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Farmacia, Hospital Universitario Dr. Peset, Valencia, España. marquez_juapei@gva.es
authors.forename: Juan Francisco
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Márquez Peiró
authors.forename: Victoria Eugenia
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Valero Alcocer
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morales Suárez-Varela
authors.forename: Agustín
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Llopis González
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pérez Peiró
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005221:Fatigue / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005334:Fever / Q000139:chemically induced*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D010352:Patient Dropouts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a; D001663:Bilirubin