title: [Study of using an individualized treatment strategy to treat patients with chronic hepatitis C].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the outcomes of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients treated with antiviral regimens of interferon (IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) using individualized doses and durations.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was designed as an open-label, prospective clinical trial to analyze the virological responses of 169 CHC patients who received individualized dosages of IFNa-2b or pegylated (Peg)IFNa-2a combined with RBV based on their weight ( less than 60 kg or more than or equal to 60 kg), age (less than 65 years or 65-75 years), morbid state (liver cirrhosis or not), and complications (such as heart disease, diabetes, thyroid disorder). Treatment duration was calculated using the time required to induce HCV RNA negativity. The rates of virological response and adverse effects among the different groups were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The IFNa-2b treatment was given to 116 patients, and PegIFNa-2a was given to 53 patients. Compared to the IFNa-2b group, the PegIFNa-2a group showed significantly higher rates of complete early virological response (cEVR; 76.7% vs. 92.5%, P less than 0.05) and sustained virological response (SVR; 53.6% vs. 92.3%, P less than 0.05) among the patients who had completed their course of treatment; the rapid virological response (RVR) rate was also higher for the PegIFNa-2a group but the difference did not reach statistical significance (48.7% vs. 60.4%, P more than 0.05). Seventy-eight patients received the routine dose, and 91 patients received the low dose; there were no significant differences between these two groups for RVR (53.8% vs. 58.9%, P more than 0.05), cEVR (78.0% vs. 80.8%, P more than 0.05), or SVR (65.5% vs. 58.3%, P more than 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of an individualized antiviral treatment strategy designed according to the patient's baseline condition, early viral kinetics, and tolerability to adverse reactions can achieve a high rate of SVR, as well as improve the safety, prognosis, and cost-effectiveness associated with treating CHC patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional and Western Medical Hepatology, Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050051, China.
authors.forename: Yue-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Nan
authors.forename: Huan-Wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Dian-Xing
authors.initials: DX
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Chun-Mian
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: You-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Er-Hei
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Yu-Guo
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Su-Xian
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Shan-Shan
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Yan-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Jia
mesh_terms: D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin