title: High Response Rate to Pegylated Interferon Alpha and Ribavirin Combination Therapy in Hemophilic Children with Chronic Hepatitis C; A Case-Control Study.
abstract: Scarce data is available on the efficacy of Pegylated Interferon (Peg-IFN) and Ribavirin (RBV) combination therapy in hemophilic children with chronic hepatitis C. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Peg-IFN and RBV combination therapy for hemophilic children infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in comparison with adult hemophilic patients with chronic hepatitis C. A case-control study comprised 31 pediatric hemophilic patients ages under 16 years with previously untreated HCV genotype-1 or -3 infection as the case group and 62 treatment naive adult hemophilic patients with chronic HCV infection as the control group. Case and control groups were matched case by case according to HCV genotype, HCV RNA level and rs12979860 polymorphism. All patients in the case and control groups were treated with Peg-IFN and RBV for 24-48 weeks according to HCV genotype. Sustained virological response (SVR) was achieved in 26 (83.9%) pediatric patients and in 39 (62.9%) of adult patients (P = 0.05, OR = 3.07, 95%CI = 1.03-9.09). The rate of SVR was not different according to HCV genotype, HCV RNA level, and rs12979860 polymorphism in both studied groups whereas achieving early virological response was associated with achievement of SVR in both groups. The efficacy of Peg-IFN and RBV combination therapy in hemophilic children with chronic hepatitis C is higher than that of adult hemophilic patients.
authors.affiliation: a Iran Hepatitis Network , Tehran , IR Iran.|b Middle East Liver Disease (MELD) Center , Tehran , IR Iran.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mehrnoush
authors.affiliation: a Iran Hepatitis Network , Tehran , IR Iran.|b Middle East Liver Disease (MELD) Center , Tehran , IR Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed-Moayed
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Alavian
authors.affiliation: a Iran Hepatitis Network , Tehran , IR Iran.|b Middle East Liver Disease (MELD) Center , Tehran , IR Iran.|c Baqiyatallah Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases , Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Heidar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sharafi
authors.affiliation: a Iran Hepatitis Network , Tehran , IR Iran.|b Middle East Liver Disease (MELD) Center , Tehran , IR Iran.|c Baqiyatallah Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases , Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Bita
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Behnava
authors.affiliation: a Iran Hepatitis Network , Tehran , IR Iran.|b Middle East Liver Disease (MELD) Center , Tehran , IR Iran.
authors.forename: Shima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salimi
authors.affiliation: a Iran Hepatitis Network , Tehran , IR Iran.|b Middle East Liver Disease (MELD) Center , Tehran , IR Iran.|d Blood Transfusion Research Center , High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Keshvari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016174:Hepacivirus; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a
keywords: child; hemophilia; hepatitis C; pegylated interferon; ribavirin