title: The efficacy of interferon-beta monotherapy for elderly patients with type C hepatitis of genotype 2.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to elucidate the efficacy of interferon (IFN)-beta monotherapy for elderly patients of > or = 70 years with type C hepatitis (HCV) of genotype 2.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study was a retrospective cohort study. Inclusion criteria were type C hepatitis patients with HCV genotype 2a or 2b, > or = 70 years, and IFN-beta monotherapy of within 24 weeks. Thirty-one consecutive patients who satisfied the above criteria were enrolled in the present study. Independent factors that might have influenced the sustained virological response (SVR) were studied using logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Background of clinical profiles was as follows: median (range) age = 71 (70-76) years, male/female = 13/18, and median (range) HCV-RNA = 260 (< 5-3,800) KIU/mL. Out of 31, 16 patients (51.6%) had SVR by the intention-to-treat analysis. The SVR was significantly associated with the serum HCV RNA level. Logistic analysis showed that SVR occurred when HCV RNA level was < 100 KIU/mL (p=0.020). Based on the difference of the serum HCV RNA level, the SVR rate was 81.8% (9/11) in patients with a serum HCV RNA level of < 100 KIU/mL and 35.0% (7/20) in patients with a serum HCV RNA level of > or = 100 KIU/mL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IFN-beta monotherapy of < or = 24 week is a possible therapy selection for elderly patients of > or = 70 years with type C hepatitis of genotype 2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology and Okinaka Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo. es9y-ars@asahi-net.or.jp
authors.forename: Yasuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arase
authors.forename: Fumitaka
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Hitomi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sezaki
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akuta
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hosaka
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yatsuji
authors.forename: Miharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirakawa
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saitoh
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Hiromitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kumada
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D016899:Interferon-beta