Extending combination therapy with peginterferon plus ribavirin for genotype 2 chronic hepatitis C virological responders: a pilot study of 7 cases.
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.
Akuta
Norio
N
Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. akuta-gi @ umin.ac.jp
Suzuki
Fumitaka
F
Arase
Yasuji
Y
Hirakawa
Miharu
M
Kawamura
Yusuke
Y
Yatsuji
Hiromi
H
Sezaki
Hitomi
H
Suzuki
Yoshiyuki
Y
Hosaka
Tetsuya
T
Kobayashi
Masahiro
M
Kobayashi
Mariko
M
Saitoh
Satoshi
S
Ikeda
Kenji
K
Kumada
Hiromitsu
H
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
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b