Short-term Therapy with Pegylated Interferon plus Ribavirin for the Chronic Hepatitis C Genotype 2 Patients.
10.3350/kjhep.2007.13.3.341
- Author:
Eun Uk JUNG
1
;
Ji Hun PARK
;
Kyung Im PAE
;
Suk Woo KANG
;
Sung Jae PARK
;
Sam Ryong JEE
;
Eun Tak PARK
;
Youn Jae LEE
;
Sang Hyuk LEE
;
Sang Young SEOL
Author Information
1. Department of Internal medicine, Inje University College of Medicine, Paik Hospital, Busan, Korea. yjyh0105@dreamwiz.com
- Publication Type:Original Article ; English Abstract
- Keywords:
Hepatitis C;
Peginterferon;
Ribavirin;
Rapid virologic response;
Short-term treatment
- MeSH:
Adolescent;
Adult;
Aged;
Antiviral Agents/*administration & dosage/therapeutic use;
Data Interpretation, Statistical;
Drug Therapy, Combination;
Female;
Genotype;
Hepacivirus/genetics;
Hepatitis C, Chronic/*drug therapy;
Humans;
Interferon Alfa-2a/*administration & dosage/therapeutic use;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Polyethylene Glycols/*administration & dosage/therapeutic use;
Retrospective Studies;
Ribavirin/*administration & dosage/therapeutic use;
Time Factors;
Treatment Outcome
- From:The Korean Journal of Hepatology
2007;13(3):341-348
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND/AIMS: The standard treatment for chronic hepatitis C patients infected with HCV genotype-2 is a combination of pegylated interferon alfa and ribavirin over a 24 week period. It is unclear if a shorter treatment duration is possible for patients showing a rapid virological response (RVR) without compromising the sustained virologic response (SVR) in Korea. METHODS: 42 patients chronically infected with the HCV genotype-2 were treated with peginterferon alfa-2a 180 mcg/wk plus ribavirin 800 mg/d for 24 weeks and followed up for 24 weeks. The HCV RNA was qualitatively assessed after 4 weeks of treatment, and RVR was defined as undetectable HCV RNA at the 4th week. Retrospectively, 26 patients were treated with the standard treatment strategy (> or =80% of the intended duration and dosage), 14 patients with a short-term treatment strategy (<80% intended duration and dosage) and 2 patients were excluded. RESULTS: Among the 42 patients, 35 patients (83%) had RVR and 38 patients (90%) had a sustained virologic response (SVR). All 7 patients without RVR were treated with the standard treatment strategy, in whom 6 patients (86%) had SVR. Among the 35 patients with RVR, 14 patients were treated with short-term treatment and 19 patients were treated with the standard treatment. SVR was obtained in 12 out of the 14 patients (86%) in the short-term treatment group and 18 out of the 19 (95%) in the standard treatment group (P=0.373). CONCLUSION: HCV genotype-2 patients who have RVR with peginterferon and ribavirin treatment can be treated with a short-term treatment without compromising the chances for SVR. However, an additional trial will be needed to optimize the treatment duration.
