title: Pharmacotherapy of chronic hepatitis C virus infection - the IDEAL trial: '2b or not 2b (= 2a), that is the question'.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There has been no direct comparison of the antiviral efficacy and the adverse effects of peginterferon (PEG-IFN) alfa-2a and PEG-IFN alfa-2b when used in combination therapy with ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  A head-to-head comparison of the antiviral efficacy and the adverse effects of PEG-IFN alfa-2a and PEG-IFN alfa-2b was made based on the results from the IDEAL trial, a large, multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled study performed in the United States to provide guidance for the selection of the right PEG-IFN in clinical settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  The results of the IDEAL trial were analyzed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The antiviral efficacy, as well as the adverse effects, of PEG-IFN alfa-2a and PEG-IFN alfa-2b are similar in US patients with HCV genotype 1 when used in a standard dosing regimen in combination with ribavirin.
authors.affiliation: Ogaki Municipal Hospital, Department of Gastroenterology, 4-86 Minaminokawa, Ogaki, Gifu 503-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Toyoda
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kumada
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a