title: Clinical Profile and Response to Treatment with Pegylated Interferon α 2b and Ribavirin in Chronic Hepatitis C-A Reappraisal from a Tertiary Care Center in Northern India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the clinical profile of 80 chronic hepatitis C patients in a tertiary health care center in Northern India and also to study the efficacy and tolerability of pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN) α 2b and ribavirin therapy in a cohort of chronic hepatitis C patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty subjects with chronic hepatitis C (CH-C) with genotypes 2 and 3 received Peg-IFN α 2b 1.5 μg/kg subcutaneously weekly plus daily ribavirin 800 mg for 24 weeks .Subjects with genotype 1 infection received therapy for 48 weeks with ribavirin 1000 mg/day and Peg-IFN α 2b dose remained the same. The primary end point was the sustained viral response (SVR). Drug dosage was modified or temporarily discontinued if anemia or bone marrow suppression developed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The clinical profile of chronic hepatitis C infected patients showed decompensated cirrhosis in the more elderly patients. Genotype 3 was the commonest genotype and was seen in 21 (70%) patients. The mean baseline HCV RNA was high. SVR was achieved less commonly with genotype 1 than with genotype 2/3. Patients who became negative for HCV RNA at 4-weeks (rapid virological response or RVR) and 12 weeks (early virological response or EVR) of treatment showed significantly higher sustained virological response (SVR) rates. Similarly, patients who showed normalization of ALT level at 4-weeks and 12-weeks of treatment showed significant high rate of SVR. Overall treatment was well tolerated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our region, CHC subjects have high viral load and genotype 3 being the most common. Treatment with Peg-IFN α 2b and ribavirin is effective and well tolerated. Genotype 1 was more resistant to the treatment. Patients who achieved RVR and EVR are more likely to achieve SVR. Although the numbers of patients in this study was small, considering the paucity of data of treatment from India, the data is relevant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221005, India.
authors.forename: Vinod K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Dixit
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221005, India.
authors.forename: Jayanta K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221005, India.
authors.forename: Sangey C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lamtha
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221005, India.
authors.forename: Pankaj
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kaushik
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221005, India.
authors.forename: Sundeep K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Goyal
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221005, India.
authors.forename: Manas K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Behera
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221005, India.
authors.forename: Neha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221005, India.
authors.forename: Ashok K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Jain
keywords: CBC, complete blood count; CH–C, chronic hepatitis C; DAA, direct acting antivirals; ETR, end of therapy; LFT, liver function test; Peg-IFN, pegylated interferon; RFT, renal function test; SVR, sustained viral response; TLC, total leukocyte count; chronic hepatitis; genotype; hepatitis C virus; pegylated interferon; therapeutic response