title: Sustained Virologic Response to a Dual Peginterferon alfa-2a and Ribavirin in Treating Chronic hepatitis C Infection: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
abstract: In Myanmar, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection prevalence is 2%. A combination therapy of pegylated interferon alfa-2a and ribavirin (PEG-IFNa/RBV) is a standard treatment, but the effect of this antiviral therapy needs evaluation as to determine the efficacy and safety of dual PEG-IFNa/RBV therapy in treating patients infected with HCV in Myanmar.This was a retrospective analysis of data from a single clinic exclusively for gastrointestinal diseases in Yangon, Myanmar. We assessed treatment responses at the defined time points and stratified by genotypes of HCV. We also determined incidences of adverse events (AEs). We investigated independent predictors of sustained virologic response (SVR) in the participants.A total of 362 HCV-infected cases were included in this study. The majority were females (51.7%) with mean age of 47.12 years (±11.6) and noncirrhosis patients (82%). Rapid virologic response (RVR), early virologic response (EVR), end of treatment response (ETR), and SVR 24 weeks after completion of the dual treatment were 50.3% (178/362), 88% (314/357), 80.1% (286/357), and 85.6% (167/195), respectively. The most frequently reported AEs were nausea/anorexia (72.8%) and flu-like symptoms (62.4%). In multivariate analysis, 4 factors were independently associated with SVR; SVR to genotype 3 (odds ratio [OR] 2.4, 95% CI: 1.24-4.62), EVR (OR 0.54, 95% CI: 0.3-0.95), and duration of treatment (OR 1.52, 95% CI: 1.18-1.98). Study limitations were acknowledged.The efficacy and safety of the dual therapy in treating HCV-infected patient in Myanmar was acceptable. We recommend a prospective randomized control trial looking at duration of therapy and rates of achieving SVR, which could significantly impact the care of HCV-infected patients in Myanmar and perhaps other countries as well.
authors.affiliation: From the Institute for Research, Development and Innovation (IRDI), International Medical University (IMU), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (CN); Option Endoscopy Centre (OEC) Specialist Clinic, Yangon, Myanmar (TS, ATA); and School of Medicine, IMU, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (KA).
authors.forename: Cho
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Naing
authors.forename: Than
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sitt
authors.forename: Aye Td
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Aung
authors.forename: Kyan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004337:Drug Carriers; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a