title: Peginterferon α-2a and rivabirin in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: Peginterferon α-2a with ribavirin produces significantly higher sustained virological response (SVR) in comparison to conventional interferon monotherapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of peginterferon α-2a plus ribavirin combination in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C among Bangladeshi patients. A total of 64 patients were randomly selected in this study and were assigned for treatment with peginterferon α-2a 180μg once weekly plus ribavirin daily for 24 weeks in case of genotypes 2 and 3 infections and 48 weeks in case of genotypes 1 and 4 infections. Ribavirin was given 800mg in divided doses in case of genotypes 2 and 3 infections and 1000mg-1200 mg in case of genotypes 1 and 4 infections according to body weight daily(1000 mg in divided doses if body weight <75kg and 1200mg in divided doses if body weight >75kg). Efficacy was assessed by measurements of serum HCV-RNA and serum ALT. A higher proportion of patients (71.87%) who received peginterferon α-2a plus ribavirin had a sustained virological response. It is observed that genotype 3 (a and b) patients showed poor response (SVR-47.05%), where as genotypes 1(a,b), 3 and 4 mixed, 2b and 4 infections showed response rate of 100%. So it can be concluded that once weekly peginterferon α-2a plus daily ribavirin is effective in chronic HCV infection in Bangladesh and overall response rate is similar to that reported in other studies.
authors.affiliation: Dr Md Zahidur Rahman, Assistant Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Shahbagh, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: M Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perveen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahmuduzzaman
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Huda
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Raihan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001459:Bangladesh; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a