Efficacy in patients with dose reduction in combination therapy of peginterferon and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to elucidate efficacy after dose reduction in combination therapy of peginterferon and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C.


METHODS
Inclusion criteria were hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1b, serum HCV RNA level of >/=100 KIU/ml, dose reduction of peginterferon and/or ribavirin between the first 4 weeks and 20 weeks after the initiation of treatment. 164 patients were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study. Predictive factors for sustained viral response (SVR) after dose reduction were examined.


RESULTS
Out of the 146 patients treated with dose reduction, 57 had SVR. Multivariate analysis showed that SVR occurred when serum HCV RNA at the time of dose reduction was negative (p < 0.001) and total ribavirin dose was >/=100% of the anticipated total dose (p < 0.001). 57% (55/97) of patients with undetectable serum HCV RNA at the time of dose reduction had SVR. In contrast, only 4% (2/49) of patients with detectable serum HCV RNA at the time of dose reduction had SVR.


CONCLUSIONS
On dose reduction of combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C, undetectable serum HCV RNA at the time of dose reduction and attainment of the total ribavirin dose of >/=100% enhance SVR.
Arase
Yasuji
Y
Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. es9y-ars@asahi-net.or.jp
Suzuki
Fumitaka
F
Sezaki
Hitomi
H
Kawamura
Yusuke
Y
Suzuki
Yoshiyuki
Y
Kobayashi
Masahiro
M
Akuta
Norio
N
Hosaka
Tetsuya
T
Yatsuji
Hiromi
H
Hirakawa
Miharu
M
Kobayashi
Mariko
M
Ikeda
Kenji
K
Kumada
Hiromitsu
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019562:Viral Load
D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b