[Effectiveness and complications of combination therapy with interferon alpha and ribavirin in patients with chronic hepatitis C].
OBJECTIVE
The effectiveness of combination therapy with conventional or pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin in patients with chronic hepatitis C is well understood. However, the profound investigation about complications of the treatment has been rarely reported in Korea, where patients have broader spectrum of disease manifestations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and complications of the combination therapy of interferon alpha and ribavirin in patients with chronic hepatitis C.


METHODS
Two hundred and forty patients with chronic hepatitis C were included. All patients were treated with interferon alpha (3 million units thrice a week) in combination with ribavirin (800-1,200 mg, depending on body weight). Patients were treated for 6 or 12 months according to the genotypes (genotype 1; 12 months, non-1; 6 months). We retrospectively evaluated ETR (end of treatment response) and SVR (sustained virologic response) on the basis of intent-to-treat in patients completing the therapy.


RESULTS
In 154 patients who had completed the therapy, ETR was 79.2% and SVR was 61.0%. Multivariate analysis showed that genotype and early virologic response at 3 months of treatment were independent predictive factors of SVR. Due to insufficient response, 11.3% of the patients discontinued the therapy. In addition, 24.5% of the patients prematurely discontinued the therapy due to adverse events including aggravated liver function (15.4%), failure to return (7.9%), and others (1.2%). Dose modifications of interferon alpha or ribavirin were required due to anemia (15.4%), neutropenia (8.8%), or thrombocytopenia (4.6%).


CONCLUSIONS
The overall SVR of patients who had completed the combination therapy with interferon alpha and ribavirin was 61.0%. However, about one third of the patients discontinued the therapy prematurely due to insufficient response, adverse events and/or noncompliance.
Hwang
Sang Youn
SY
Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University College of Medicine, 10 Ami-dong 1-ga, Seo-gu, Busan, Korea.
Lee
Hae Jung
HJ
Park
Kee Tae
KT
Kim
Kyung Yup
KY
Lee
Sun Mi
SM
Park
Chan Won
CW
Kim
Tae Oh
TO
Kim
Gwang Ha
GH
Heo
Jeong
J
Kang
Dae Hwan
DH
Song
Geun Am
GA
Cho
Mong
M
Cho
Byung Mann
BM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012254:Ribavirin