title: Extending combination therapy with peginterferon plus ribavirin for genotype 2 chronic hepatitis C virological responders: a pilot study of 7 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In treatment-resistant patients with genotype 2 chronic hepatitis C the suitable treatment duration is still unclear. The aims were to investigate extending combination therapy with peginterferon plus ribavirin for genotype 2.
  
  
  METHODS
  7 patients infected with genotype 2 at a high viral load and who did not achieve a sustained virological response (SVR) with the first course of 24-week IFN plus ribavirin were recruited into the study protocol with a total of 48 weeks of peginterferon plus ribavirin therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SVR was achieved in 5 of 7 patients (71%). All 4 patients (100%) who were in relapse with the first course achieved SVR. Only 1 of 3 patients (33%) who had a non-virological response (NVR) with the first course achieved SVR. All 4 patients who had an early virological response (EVR) with the first course achieved EVR and SVR. Two of 3 patients who had no EVR with the first course also did not achieve EVR and SVR. One patient who had no EVR or a NVR during the first course achieved EVR and SVR with the second course.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that extending combination therapy for genotype 2 chronic hepatitis C might be useful for patients who relapse following 24-week combination therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. akuta-gi @ umin.ac.jp
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akuta
authors.forename: Fumitaka
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Yasuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arase
authors.forename: Miharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirakawa
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yatsuji
authors.forename: Hitomi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sezaki
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hosaka
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
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: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b