title: Treatment with peginterferon plus ribavirin vs. interferon plus ribavirin for 48 weeks in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Virological responses to interferon (IFN) treatment for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) have been found to be correlated with racial differences. Furthermore, higher sustained virological response (SVR) rates were obtained in many randomised clinical trials (RCT) in Caucasian patients with CHC after treating with peg-IFN than those with IFN. However, it is not clear whether this conclusion can be adapted to patients of Chinese descent.
  
  
  METHODS
  A search of MEDLINE and China National Knowledge Infrastructure between 1966 and 2008 was performed. Trials comparing the use of peg-IFN plus ribavirin vs. IFN plus ribavirin in treating Chinese patients with CHC were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 94 studies screened, seven RCTs including 398 patients (peg-IFN therapy 232, IFN therapy 166) were analysed. The SVRs obtained in patients treated with peg-IFN plus ribavirin were significantly higher than in patients treated with IFN plus ribavirin [70% vs. 35%, relative risk, 1.76; 95% confidence interval: 1.21-2.56; p (0.01)]. Withdrawal rates were similar between patients treated with peg-IFN plus ribavirin and IFN plus ribavirin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chinese patients with CHC also have a greater likelihood of achieving an SVR with peg-IFN plus ribavirin.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: S-H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Y-L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: D-X
authors.initials: DX
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Waqar
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: P-H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: H-J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: E-Q
authors.initials: EQ
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a