[Toxicity of the treatment of chronic hepatitis C with peginterferon alpha (2a or 2b) plus ribavirin in patients not previously treated].
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.
Márquez Peiró
Juan Francisco
JF
Servicio de Farmacia, Hospital Universitario Dr. Peset, Valencia, España. marquez_juapei@gva.es
Valero Alcocer
Victoria Eugenia
VE
Morales Suárez-Varela
María
M
Llopis González
Agustín
A
Pérez Peiró
Carmen
C
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
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