title: Optimal erythrocyte ribavirin level to reduce the risk of anemia and obtain an early virological response in patients with chronic hepatitis C caused by genotype 1b infection.
abstract: Aims. To determine whether the erythrocyte phosphorylated ribavirin (RBV) level might be a useful index of EVR and risk of anemia and to determine the optimal dose of RBV in 24 patients with hepatitis C with pegylated interferon and RBV. Methodology. The RBV level was measured by a high-performance liquid chromatography. Results and Conclusion. In patients aged 50 years or over, a negative correlation (r = -0.548, P < .05) was observed between the RBV level at week 2 and rate of Hb reduction (ΔHb) at week 4. The ΔHb at week 4 was significantly greater in patients with RBV levels of ≥800 μM (-25.5 ± 10.1%) than in patients with RBV levels <800 μM (-15.6 ± 7.7%). None of the patients with RBV levels <600 μM at week 2 achieved EVR and SVR. Thus the optimal levels of erythrocyte phosphorylated RBV at week 2 of therapy in order to achieve EVR without anemia seemed to be 600-800 μM.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Practice and Sciences, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Center for Clinical Pharmacy and Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Kitasato University, 5-9-1 Shirokane, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8641, Japan.
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Komiyama
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kumagai
authors.forename: Miyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kimijima
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mitsuki
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Uetake
authors.forename: Fumihiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsunematsu
authors.forename: Kanji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuchimoto