title: Treatment of hepatitis C in patients with haemophilia - the Israeli National Hemophilia Center experience.
abstract: Treatment with pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN) and ribavirin, now the standard of care, has been shown to achieve sustained viral response (SVR) in up to 60% of patients with hepatitis C (HCV). Studies of response to this combination in HCV-infected haemophilia patients are scarce. The aim of the study was to report the results and safety of interferon/ribavirin treatment in HCV and HCV-/HIV-infected patients at the Israeli National Hemophilia Center. A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted on haemophilia patients infected with HCV or HCV/HIV. Patients received combination of Peg-IFN and ribavirin. Few were still treated with standard interferon. The primary end-point was sustained viral response (SVR). The secondary end-point was safety, with emphasis on increased bleeding episodes. Some 18/43 (42%) HCV mono-infected haemophilia patients achieved SVR. Relapse occurred in 14 (33%), while 11 patients (25%) were non-responders. SVR was achieved among 17/37 (46%) naïve patients receiving Peg-IFN and ribavirin. Among patients with genotype-1, SVR was achieved in 12/36 (33%) and 11/30 (37%) in the whole group and Peg-IFN treated naïve patients, respectively. In HCV/HIV co-infected patients only 1 patient achieved SVR. Severe anaemia occurred in 14/50 (28%) patients, four received erythropoietin. None maintained stable haemoglobin levels. Two patients had significant bleeding episodes. In our cohort of haemophilia patients, SVR was achieved in a lower than expected rates. A relatively high relapse rate in the HCV mono-infected patients and a very high non-response rate in the HCV/HIV co-infected patients were observed as anticipated. Anaemia was a major side effect and the use of growth factors seemed unrevealing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Sheba Medical Center Tel-Hashomer, Israel. yaakov@sheba.health.gov.il
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maor
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Schapiro
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bashari
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lurie
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Safadi
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Segol
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paritsky
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rachlis
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Avidan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bar-Meir
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Martinowitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D015497:HIV-1; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006470:Hemorrhage; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007557:Israel; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a