title: [Effectiveness of pegylated interferon alfa 2a and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C in clinical practice].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nowadays, combination therapy with peginteferon plus ribavirin is the standard treatment for chronic hepatitis C. This scheme achieves, according to randomized and controlled trials, viral eradication in 54% to 56% of treated patients (42% to 46% of patients infected with genotype 1 and 76% to 82% of those with genotypes 2 or 3).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of combined treatment with peginteferon alpha 2a and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C, in daily clinical practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients with chronic hepatitis C who were treated by the authors with combined treatment (peginteeferon alpha 2a plus ribavirin), from January 2001 to July 2008, were included. Patients who completed the treatment as well as those that ended it earlier were included in the analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this retrospective and multicentric study 75 patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with peginterferon alpha 2a plus ribavirin were enrolled (male gender represented 60%, average age was 42.3 years, genotype 1 meant 58.6% and 31.5% of patients had cirrhosis). The global sustained virological response, according to intention-to-treat analysis, was observed in 37 patients (49%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The global results in daily clinical practice showed a viral eradication rate close to that published by controlled and randomized studies.
authors.affiliation: Clínica de Gastroenterología, Hospital de Clínicas, Uruguay. nelia@adinet.com.uy
authors.forename: Nelia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: Germán
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mescia
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pollio
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Robaina
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Quintana
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bianchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a