title: A randomized, prospective trial of ribavirin 400 mg/day versus 800 mg/day in combination with peginterferon alfa-2a in hepatitis C virus genotypes 2 and 3.
abstract: We compared the efficacy and tolerability of 24 weeks of treatment with ribavirin 800 mg/day (group A) or 400 mg/day (group B) plus peginterferon alfa-2a 180 mug/week in treatment-naive patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2 or 3. A total of 97 of 141 patients randomized to group A (68.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 60.5%-76.3%) and 90 of 141 patients randomized to group B (63.8; 95% CI 55.3%-71.7%) achieved a sustained virological response, defined as undetectable serum HCV RNA at the end of untreated follow-up (week 48). Among patients infected with genotype 3, the rate of sustained virological response was 67.5% (95% CI 58.4%-75.6%) in group A and 63.9% (95% CI 54.7%-72.4%) in group B, and among patients infected with genotype 2, the rate of sustained virological response was 77.8% (95% CI 54.2%-93.6%) in group A and 55.6% (95% CI 38.4%-83.7%) in group B. Relapse rates in the 2 treatment groups were similar (17% in group A and 20% in group B). The incidence of adverse events, laboratory abnormalities, and dose reductions was similar in the 2 treatment groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that when administered for 24 weeks with peginterferon alfa-2a, ribavirin doses of 400 and 800 mg/day produce equivalent outcomes in patients infected with HCV genotype 3.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferenci
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brunner
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Laferl
authors.forename: Thomas-Matthias
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Scherzer
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maieron
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strasser
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hofer
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bischof
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stauber
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gschwantler
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Steindl-Munda
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Staufer
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Löschenberger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012008:Recurrence; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a