title: Retreatment with peginterferon α-2a + ribavirin in patients who failed previous peginterferon α-2b + ribavirin combination therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Peginterferon (PEG-IFN) + ribavirin (RBV) combination therapy is the current standard of care for chronic hepatitis C. However, more than half of the patients cannot achieve sustained viral response (SVR). In Japan, the clinical benefit of retreatment with PEG-IFN + RBV combination retreatment is still unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected clinical data in 106 chronic hepatitis C patients who failed to achieve SVR with PEG-IFNα-2b + RBV combination therapy and were retreated with PEG-IFNα-2a + RBV. This retrospective study examined the efficacy of retreatment with PEG-IFNα-2a + RBV by evaluating the time to eradication of hepatitis C virus RNA, early virological response (EVR), and SVR. We compared the results of the previous therapy and retreatment in terms of efficacy and analyzed the factors influencing SVR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The SVR rates in the non-responders and relapsers were 11 and 53%, respectively. EVR and prolonged treatment duration were associated with SVR. We also found that a prior response to PEG-IFN + RBV therapy was more important than the Interleukin-28B genotype for predicting the response to retreatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Retreatment with PEG-IFNα-2a + RBV should be considered for relapsers and partial responders. Our results suggest that prolonged administration is also favorable for EVR cases to attain a higher SVR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kinki University School of Medicine, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, Osaka-Sayama, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Taisuke
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Taisuke
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Enomoto
authors.forename: Mie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inao
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaito
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Imazeki
authors.forename: Shuhei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishiguchi
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mochida
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yokosuka
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yatsuhashi
authors.forename: Namiki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Izumi
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kudo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D017211:Treatment Failure; D000095022:Interferon Lambda
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin; C000624353:interferon-lambda, human; D000095022:Interferon Lambda; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a