[24 weeks treatment with pegylated interferon alfa plus ribavirin may be possible in genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C patients with rapid virological response who have low pretreatment viremia].
OBJECTIVE
The standard treatment for chronic hepatitis C infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 is a combination of pegylated interferon alfa and ribavirin over a 48 weeks period. It is unclear if 24 weeks treatment is possible for patients showing a rapid virological response (RVR) without compromising the sustained virological response (SVR) in Korea.


METHODS
Between June 2005 and September 2008, among patients chronically infected with the HCV genotype 1 who were treated with pegylated interferon alfa subcutaneously once weekly plus ribavirin based on body weight, 55 patients who had low pretreatment viral load (<600,000 IU/mL) and RVR were enrolled. A total of 55 patients were divided into 24 weeks treatment group (n=29) and the standard treatment group (n=26). The HCV RNA was quantitatively assessed before treatment, and after 12 weeks of treatment, and also qualitatively assessed after 4 weeks of treatment, at end of treatment (24 weeks), and 24 weeks after end of treatment. RVR was defined as undetectable HCV RNA at the 4 weeks of treatment.


RESULTS
Among the 55 patients, SVR was achieved in 100% (29/29) of the patients in 24 weeks treatment and 96.2% (25/26) of the patients in the standard treatment (p=0.473).


CONCLUSIONS
HCV genotype 1 infected patients with a low baseline HCV RNA concentration who become HCV RNA negative at week 4 may be treated for 24 weeks without compromising sustained virological response. However, an additional trial will be needed to optimize the treatment duration.
Moon
Sung Soo
SS
Department of Internal Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
Kang
Hyoun Gu
HG
Seo
Jeong Ah
JA
Jung
Eun Uk
EU
Lee
Sang Heon
SH
Park
Sung Jae
SJ
Lee
Youn Jae
YJ
Seol
Sang Yong
SY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019562:Viral Load; D014766:Viremia / Q000175:diagnosis
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a