title: Efficacy and tolerability of pegylated interferon-alpha2a plus ribavirin versus pegylated interferon-alpha2b plus ribavirin in treatment-naive chronic hepatitis C patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The authors compared the efficacies and tolerabilities of pegylated interferon-alpha2a (PEG-IFN-alpha2a) + ribavirin and pegylated interferon-alpha2b (PEG-IFN-alpha2b) + ribavirin for the initial treatment of chronic hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 126 treatment-naive patients (29.4% genotype 1, 70.6% genotype non-1) were treated with PEG-IFN-alpha2a 180 microg/week (group A, n = 79) or PEG-IFN-alpha2b 1.5 microg/kg/week (group B, n = 47) with ribavirin (800 mg/day for genotype non-1 or 1,000-1,200 mg/day for genotype 1) for 24 (genotype non-1) or 48 weeks (genotype 1).
  
  
  RESULTS
  End-of-treatment virologic response, sustained virologic response, and biochemical response were not significantly different in groups A and B (84.8 vs. 89.4%, 70.9 vs. 72.3%, and 70.9 vs. 74.5%, respectively; p > 0.05). In patients with the HCV genotype 1 or non-1, treatment responses were not significantly different. Multivariate analysis showed that HCV genotype only was an independent factor that affected sustained virologic response (p = 0.048). The proportions of treatment discontinuations in groups A and B were similar (10.1 vs. 10.6%; p = 1.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PEG-IFN-alpha2a or PEG-IFN-alpha2b + ribavirin combination therapies showed similar efficacies and tolerabilities as initial treatments for chronic hepatitis C.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Research Institute for Medical Science, Chonbuk National University Medical School and Hospital, Jeonju , South Korea.
authors.forename: Seok
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: In Hee
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seong Hun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seung Ok
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Soo Teik
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dae Ghon
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chang Seop
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chang Soo
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Eun Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Haak Cheoul
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a