The efficacy of 24-week interferon monotherapy for type C liver cirrhosis in Japanese patients with genotype 1b and low virus load.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to elucidate the efficacy of interferon (IFN) therapy in liver cirrhosis Japanese patients with genotype 1b and low virus load.


METHODS
The present study was a retrospective cohort study. Inclusion criteria were liver cirrhosis, HCV genotype 1b, HCV RNA of <100 KIU/ml, and natural IFN-alpha monotherapy for 24 weeks. In 23 consecutive patients who satisfied the above criteria the efficacy and side effects of IFN were examined. Independent factors that might have influenced a sustained virologic response (SVR) were studied using logistic regression analysis.


RESULTS
The clinical patient profiles were as follows: median (range) age 52 (37-69) years; male/female 18/5, and median (range) HCV RNA 52 (<5-92) KIU/ml. Eight of the 23 patients (34.8%) had SVR by intention-to-treat analysis. Logistic analysis indicated that an HCV RNA level of <50 KIU/ml was associated with SVR (p = 0.049). The median (range) HCV RNA levels were 28 (<5-68) KIU/ml in patients with SVR and 60 (6-92) KIU/ml in patients without SVR.


CONCLUSIONS
24-week IFN monotherapy is a suitable therapy for type C cirrhotic patients with genotype 1b and an HCV RNA level of <50 KIU/ml.
Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. 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
Miharu
M
Hirakawa
Mariko
M
Kobayashi
Kenji
K
Ikeda
Hiromitsu
H
Kumada
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007564:Japan; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007372:Interferons