title: Interferon-beta plus ribavirin therapy can be safely and effectively administered to elderly patients with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of interferon-beta plus ribavirin therapy in older Japanese patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study enrolled 132 older patients (age, ≥65 years) with chronic hepatitis C who received 24-48 weeks of interferon-beta plus ribavirin (FR; n = 66) or pegylated interferon-alpha plus ribavirin (PR; n = 66) therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with the ITPA genotype (CA/AA) in the PR group had significantly greater decreases in hemoglobin levels than those in the FR group at or after week 8. The proportions of patients with a dose reduction of interferon-beta and ribavirin in the FR group were significantly lower than those in the PR group. A significantly higher proportion of patients completed treatment in the FR group than in the PR group. The sustained virological response (intention-to-treat analysis) rate of naïve patients with genotype 1 was 29% (6 of 21) in the PR group and 29% (6 of 21) in the FR group. The sustained virological response (intention-to-treat) rate of those with genotype 2 was 67% (12 of 18) in the PR group and 72% (13 of 18) in the FR group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interferon-beta plus ribavirin therapy was safe in elderly patients, with lower proportions of patients with a dose reduction of interferon-beta or ribavirin and treatment discontinuation. In treatment-naïve patients, the sustained virological response rate was similar between interferon-beta plus ribavirin therapy and pegylated interferon-alpha plus ribavirin therapy, regardless of whether the patients had hepatitis C virus genotype 1 or 2.
authors.affiliation: The Center for Liver Disease, Shin-kokura Hospital, Kitakyushu, Japan. Electronic address: h-nomura@shin-kokura.gr.jp.
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.affiliation: The Center for Liver Disease, Shin-kokura Hospital, Kitakyushu, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuugou
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyagi
authors.affiliation: The Center for Liver Disease, Shin-kokura Hospital, Kitakyushu, Japan.
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanimoto
authors.affiliation: The Center for Liver Disease, Shin-kokura Hospital, Kitakyushu, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamashita
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006454:Hemoglobins; D012709:Serum Albumin; D012254:Ribavirin; D016899:Interferon-beta
keywords: Chronic hepatitis C; Interferon-beta plus ribavirin; Older patients; Pegylated interferon plus ribavirin; Treatment discontinuation