Comparison of biochemical safety between PEG-IFN alpha-2a and PEG-IFN alpha-2b.
OBJECTIVE
Although the efficacy and safety of pegylated-interferon (PEG-IFN) alpha-2a and PEG-IFN alpha-2b have been comparatively studied, there are few study results available in which the two PEG-IFN products were strictly compared. To compare the effects of two PEG-IFN products on blood cell profile.


METHODS
The time-course change in blood cell counts was compared between chronic hepatitis C patients with genotype 1b receiving PEG-IFN alpha-2a/ribavirin and PEG-IFN alpha-2b/ribavirin combination therapy. The comparison was made after matching patients from the two groups based on ribavirin apparent clearance (CL/F), a surrogate marker of the steady state blood ribavirin level, in order to eliminate the effect of ribavirin. Fifteen pairs of matched patients were selected.


RESULTS
The time-course change in hemoglobin did not differ significantly between the two groups. However, significantly greater reductions in both neutrophil and platelet counts were observed with PEG-IFN alpha-2a compared to PEG-IFN alpha-2b. A slightly longer period was required with PEG-IFN alpha-2a than with PEG-IFN alpha-2b for a reduction in neutrophil or platelet count large enough to necessitate dose reduction.


CONCLUSIONS
Two types of PEG-IFN products affected the blood cell profile in different manners. Long-term monitoring of laboratory test values is necessary with PEG-IFN alpha-2a.
Katano
Yoshiaki
Y
Department of Gastroenterology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8560, Japan. ykatano@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Kumada
Takashi
T
Nakano
Isao
I
Toyoda
Hidenori
H
Ishigami
Masatoshi
M
Hayashi
Kazuhiko
K
Honda
Takashi
T
Goto
Hidemi
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012449:Safety; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a