title: [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].
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Hyoun Gu
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Jeong Ah
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Eun Uk
authors.initials: EU
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Sang Heon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sung Jae
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Youn Jae
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sang Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Seol
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: 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