Use of epoetin beta during combination therapy of infection with hepatitis c virus with ribavirin improves a sustained viral response.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of epoetin-beta on anemia and sustained viral response in patients with chronic hepatitis C receiving treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Forty-two Caucasian patients with chronic hepatitis C infection, treated with pegylated interferon alpha-2a or alpha-2b plus ribavirin, who experienced at least a 2 log decline in HCV-RNA in the first month of therapy and a > or =2.5 g/dl hemoglobin drop from baseline, were recruited. They were divided into two groups: 22 patients received epoetin-beta 30,000 U administered s.c. q.w. (group A) and 20 patients received a reduced ribavirin dose of 600 mg daily (group B). The end-of-treatment response was 95.4% (21/22) in group A and 80% (16/20) (P = 0.2) in group B. Sustained viral response in group A was 81.8% (18/22), statistically higher than in group B (45%, 9/20) (P = 0.03). Mean corpuscular volume of erythrocytes was statistically lower in group A than in group B 4 weeks after starting epoetin-beta or reduced ribavirin dose (P < 0.001), end-of-treatment (P < 0.001) and after 6 months follow-up (P < 0.001). A negative correlation between the levels of ferritin serum was found in group A at the baseline and mean corpuscular volume value after 1 month of combination antiviral therapy (r = -0.45; P = 0.35), 4 weeks after starting epoetin-beta (r = -0.43; P = 0.04) and after 6 months follow-up (r = -0.45; P = 0.03). Administration of epoetin-beta increases sustained viral response rates among patients developing anemia, because the standard dose of ribavirin is maintained, thereby reducing the side-effects of antiviral treatment.
Falasca
Katia
K
Infectious Diseases Clinic, Department of Medicine and Science of Ageing. G. d'Annunzio University, Chieti-Pescara, Italy.
Ucciferri
Claudio
C
Mancino
Paola
P
Gorgoretti
Valeria
V
Pizzigallo
Eligio
E
Vecchiet
Jacopo
J
D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006454:Hemoglobins; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C103998:epoetin beta; D004921:Erythropoietin; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a