title: A preliminary study on the efficacy and influencing factors of interferon for the treatment of genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C with different dosage forms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Nowadays, interferon alfa-2b is still in widespread use for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in China. In this study, peginterferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin was compared with interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin for the initial treatment of genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  Overall, 168 patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C were assigned peginterferon alfa-2a (135-180 µg subcutaneously/week) plus ribavirin (800-1200 mg/day orally) or interferon alfa-2b (300-500 million units, once every other day) plus ribavirin (800-1200 mg/day). According to HCV RNA levels at weeks 4 and 12, patients were reallocated to receive different interferon dosage forms or different courses of treatment. The primary endpoint was a sustained virological response (SVR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 160 patients completed the entire study and eight cases were lost to follow-up. The SVR rates in patients treated with peginterferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin for 24 and 48 weeks were 67.9% (53/78) and 73.6% (14/19), respectively, whereas in patients treated with interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin for 24 and 48 weeks the SVR rates were 52.4% (43/82) and 40% (8/20), respectively. The SVR rates in the groups with a rapid virological response (RVR) and without RVR were 68.8 and 16.9%, respectively. The SVR rates in the groups with an early virological response (EVR) and in the groups without EVR were 88.1 and 10.5%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Peginterferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin was more effective than interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin, with similar safety. RVR can predict a greater chance of SVR. The duration of treatment should be shortened for patients with RVR. Treatment for patients without EVR should be discontinued.
authors.affiliation: Tianjin Infectious Disease Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Ji-Ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Shi-Duo
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
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