title: Association between the treatment length and cumulative dose of pegylated interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin and their effectiveness as a combination treatment for Japanese chronic hepatitis C patients: project of the Kyushu University Liver Disease Study Group.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between the length of the treatment period and the cumulative dose of pegylated interferon alpha-2b (peg-IFN alpha-2b) plus ribavirin (RBV) and their effectiveness in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven hundred and fifteen patients received peg-IFN alpha-2b plus RBV treatment for 48 weeks and 24 weeks for genotypes 1 (n = 586) and 2 (n = 129), respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sustained virological responses (SVR), defined as serum hepatitis C virus (HCV)-RNA undetectable at 24 weeks after the end of treatment, were 42.4% and 74.4% in genotypes 1 and 2, respectively, on an intention-to-treat analysis. SVR significantly increased with treatment length (4.7%, 36.4%, and 51.8% for < 24 weeks, 24-47 weeks, and 48 weeks, respectively, for genotype 1; and 28.6%, 57.1%, 78.3% for < 12 weeks, 12-23 weeks, and 24 weeks, respectively, for genotype 2). SVR significantly increased with total cumulative treatment dose (21.1%, 36.5%, and 52.9% with < 60%, 60-79%, and >or= 80% in peg-IFN dose; 29.6%, 51.1%, and 59.2% with < 60%, 60-79%, and >or= 80% in RBV dose) in genotype 1, although it did not differ significantly for genotype 2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In peg-IFN alpha-2b plus RBV treatment for chronic hepatitis C, it is important to complete the target length of treatment and to continue the target dosage to achieve SVR, especially for genotype 1 patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Higashi-Ku, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Norihiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Furusyo
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kajiwara
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.forename: Akihide
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masumoto
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamuta
authors.forename: Munechika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Enjoji
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Azuma
authors.forename: Junya
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shimono
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shimoda
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hayashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D044466:Asian People; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b