title: Efficacy of interferon-based antiviral therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C infected with genotype 5: a meta-analysis of two large prospective clinical trials.
abstract: The characteristics and response rate to pegylated interferon and ribavirin (PEG-INF + RBV) of patients with chronic hepatitis C infected with genotype 5 are poorly documented. A meta-analysis of two large phase III/IV prospective randomized clinical trials conducted in Belgium in patients with chronic hepatitis C (n = 1,073 patients) was performed in order to compare the response to antiviral therapy of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 5 with that of other HCV genotypes. A subset of HCV-1 infected patients selected from within the study database were selected to match the HCV-5 sample for known prognostic factors. In Belgium HCV-5 is responsible for a significant minority of cases of chronic hepatitis C CHC (4.5%) and is characterized by a more advanced age (58.4 years), a high frequency of cirrhosis (27.7%), a specific mode of HCV acquisition, and a particular geographic origin (66.7% of patients from West Flanders). The primary comparative analysis showed that response to treatment with PEG-INF + RBV of HCV-5 is similar to HCV-1 and lower compared to HCV-2/3. The analysis of the matched patient subgroup demonstrates that the HCV-5 "intrinsic sensitivity" to PEG-IFN + RBV therapy is identical to HCV-1, with a sustained virological response of 55% in both groups. In contrast to previous publications, this meta-analysis suggests that HCV-5 response to treatment is closer to HCV-1 than to HCV-2/3 and suggests that in Belgium HCV-5 infection should be treated with the same antiviral regimen as HCV-1.
authors.affiliation: AZ Groeninge Hospital, Kortrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: D'Heygere
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van Vlierberghe
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Decaestecker
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakad
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adler
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Delwaide
authors.forename: Annick
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laureys
authors.forename: Frederik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nevens
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001530:Belgium; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D017327:Clinical Trials, Phase IV as Topic; 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 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a