The efficacy of short-term interferon-beta therapy for type C cirrhotic patients with genotype 2a and low virus load.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to elucidate the efficacy of short-term interferon (IFN) therapy for type C cirrhotic patients with genotype 2a and low virus load.


METHODS
The present study was retrospective cohort study. Inclusion criteria were liver cirrhosis, hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2a, the serum HCV RNA level of less than 100 KIU/mL, and IFN period of 6 or 8 weeks. Twenty-five consecutive patients who satisfied the above criteria were treated with IFN-beta daily at the dosage of 6 MU for 6 or 8 weeks. Independent factors that might have influenced sustained virologic response (SVR) were studied using multiple logistic regression analysis.


RESULTS
Background of clinical profiles were as follows: median (range) age=64 (53-76) years, male/female=13/12, and median (range) HCV-RNA=31 (8-90) KIU/mL. Out of 25, 14 patients (56.0%) had SVR by the intention-to-treat analysis. The SVR was significantly associated with serum HCV RNA level. Logistic analysis showed that SVR occurred when HCV RNA level was <50 KIU/mL (p=0.047). Based on the difference of the serum HCV RNA level, the SVR rate was 68.4% (13/19) in patients with a serum HCV RNA level of <50 KIU/mL and 16.7% (1/6) in patients with a serum HCV RNA level of > or =50 KIU/mL.


CONCLUSIONS
The 6 or 8-week IFN-beta therapy is a possible selection of therapy for cirrhotic patients with HCV genotype 2a and a serum HCV RNA level of <50 KIU/mL.
Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo. es9y-ars@asahi-net.or.jp
Yasuji
Y
Arase
Fumitaka
F
Suzuki
Hitomi
H
Sezaki
Yusuke
Y
Kawamura
Yoshiyuki
Y
Suzuki
Masahiro
M
Kobayashi
Norio
N
Akuta
Tetsuya
T
Hosaka
Hiromi
H
Yatsuji
Mariko
M
Kobayashi
Satoshi
S
Saitoh
Kenji
K
Ikeda
Hiromitsu
H
Kumada
D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016899:Interferon-beta