OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of telaprevir combined with peginterferon alfa (Peg-IFNa) plus ribavirin (RBV) (collectively, TPR therapy) in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) using a meta-analysis approach.

METHODSThe Pubmed literature database was searched for randomized controlled trials of TRP therapy in CHC patients published between 2009 and 2011. The following outcome data was extracted for meta-analysis of efficacy: sustained virological response (SVR), defined as serum HCV RNA of less than 1000 copies/ml at end-of-treatment (week 24); rapid virological response (RVR), defined as serum HCV RNA of less than 1000 copies/ml at treatment week 4; recurrence, defined as serum HCV RNA of less than 1000 copies/mL at end-of-treatment and more than 1000 copies/ml at follow-up (week 24 after treatment completion). The pooled odds ratio (OR) or relative risk (RR) were calculated, with 95% confidence interval (CI). Heterogeneity was assessed by the Chi-squared test based on the Q statistic.

RESULTSSix studies of TPR triple therapy, representing a total of 2677 CHC patients, were included in the meta-analysis. Among the 1850 patients who received TPR, 56.3% (n = 1041) achieved RVR, 66.8% (n = 1235) achieved SVR, and 12.1% (n = 176/1460) experienced recurrence. Among the 827 patients who received PR double-therapy, 7.0% (n = 58) achieved RVR, 35.8% (n = 296) achieved SVR, and 32.3% (n = 145/449) experienced recurrence. The TRP group had significantly higher rates of RVR (OR = 29.83, 95% CI: 16.16 to 55.05) and SVR (OR = 3.97, 95% CI: 2.58 to 6.11) than the PR group (both P less than 0.01), and significantly lower rate of recurrence (RR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.24 to 0.56, P less than 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe therapeutic effect of research group is better than that of control group, suggesting that ornithine aspartate combined with naloxone treatment in hepatic encephalopathy is worthy of promoting.