title: Consensus Interferon for Recurrent Hepatitis C Infection in Nonresponders to Peginterferon and Ribavirin After Liver Transplant.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hepatitis C virus infection universally recurs in liver transplant recipients. Peginterferon/ribavirin achieves a sustained virologic response rate of 30% in recipients infected with hepatitis C virus genotype 1. Consensus-interferon plus ribavirin yields sustained virologic response rates to 30% in patients failing to achieve sustained virologic response with peginterferon/ribavirin pretransplant, but it has not been studied posttransplant. We sought to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of consensus-interferon and ribavirin in treating posttransplant hepatitis C virus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical, laboratory, and virologic data were collected retrospectively from all patients who received at least 1 dose of consensus-interferon after transplant between January 2008 and December 2011. A standardized treatment protocol was used. The primary aim was sustained virologic response defined by undetectable hepatitis C virus RNA at 24 weeks after completing therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-three patients were treated with consensus-interferon/ribavirin; 15 with prior nonresponse (87%) or breakthrough (6.7%) during peginterferon/ribavirin, and 8 as initial therapy. The intention-to-treat sustained virologic response with consensus-interferon was 30%. Anemia, leukopenia, and growth factor requirement were similar between peginterferon and consensus-interferon cohorts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consensus-interferon may rescue liver recipients who are nonresponders to peginterferon-based therapy. The efficacy of interferon-based treatment regimens may benefit from substitution of consensus-interferon for peginterferon.
authors.affiliation: Divisions of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA.
authors.forename: Eric M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Nordstrom
authors.forename: Scott W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Biggins
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gralla
authors.forename: Hugo R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.forename: Gregory T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Everson
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Burton
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D012008:Recurrence; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012254:Ribavirin; D007372:Interferons