title: [Efficacy of interferon alpha with ribavirin for treatment of chronic Hepatitis C].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prevalence and distribution of HCV genotypes and the clinical effect of interferon-alpha combined with ribavirin treatment in chronic hepatitis C patients in Kunming.
  
  
  METHODS
  60 patients were divided into two groups based on drug therapies: PEG-interferon-a plus ribavirin treatment group for HCV 1b and interferon-a plus ribavirin treatment group for non-HCV-1b. Serum ALT levels and HCV RNA quantitations of the patients were detected during treatment and follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The HCV genotypes of 60 patients were determined by type specific probe assay, and five different types were found. Their overall prevalence were 21.7% for type 1b, 5% for type 2a, 16.7% for type 3a, 48.3% for type 3b, and 8.3% for type 6a. Sustained viral response rates for PEG-interferon treatment group were 46.1%, for interferon treatment group were 74.4%. The abnormal rate of serum ALT after the treatment had no significant difference between HCV-1b and non-HCV-1b patients (P>0.05). All patients with early viral responses got sustained viral response.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HCV-3b is the most dominant genotype in Kunming. The effect of PEG-interferon-a plus ribavirin treatment for genotype 1b is unsatisfactory. The early viral response is a good predictor for the responses to antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis C patients.
authors.affiliation: Medical college, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lei
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012254:Ribavirin