Efficacy and Long-Term Follow Up of Combination Therapy with Interferon Alpha and Ribavirin for Chronic Hepatitis C in Korea.
10.3349/ymj.2006.47.6.793
- Author:
Jie Hyun KIM
1
;
Kwang Hyub HAN
;
Kwan Sik LEE
;
Young Nyun PARK
;
Sang Hoon AHN
;
Chae Yoon CHON
;
Young Myoung MOON
Author Information
1. Departments of Internal Medicine, Institute of Gastroenterology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. gihankhys@yumc.yonsei. ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Keywords:
Chronic hepatitis C;
interferons;
ribavirin;
long- term effects
- MeSH:
Ribavirin/adverse effects/*therapeutic use;
Retrospective Studies;
Middle Aged;
Male;
Korea;
Interferon-alpha/adverse effects/*therapeutic use;
Humans;
Hepatitis C, Chronic/*drug therapy/immunology/virology;
Follow-Up Studies;
Female;
Drug Therapy, Combination;
Antiviral Agents/adverse effects/*therapeutic use;
Adult
- From:Yonsei Medical Journal
2006;47(6):793-798
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Combination therapy with interferon alpha (IFN- alpha) and ribavirin for 24 or 48 weeks according to HCV genotype has improved the overall sustained virological response (SVR) rates to approximately 40%. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term efficacy of combination therapy with IFN-alpha and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C in Koreans. One hundred thirty-eight patients with chronic hepatitis C who received this combination therapy between 1995 and 2003 were analyzed retrospectively. All patients were treated with IFN-alpha 3-6 million units three times weekly in combination with 900-1200 mg/day of ribavirin for 24 weeks. The overall SVR rate was 41.3%. Patients were followed up for a median of 41 months (range, 12-105 months) after completion of therapy. In all of the SVR patients (57 patients), SVR was conserved during the follow-up period. None of the patients progressed to decompensated liver disease or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, 5 of the 81 non-SVR patients (6.2%) progressed to decompensated liver disease or HCC. In conclusion, combination therapy with IFN-alpha and ribavirin shows good long-term efficacy in patients with chronic hepatitis C in Korea, one of the highest endemic areas of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.
