Efficacy and Safety of Combination Therapy of Natural Human Interferon β and Ribavirin in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients with Genotype 2 and High Virus Load

Yasuji Arase; Fumitaka Suzuki; Norio Akuta; Hitomi Sezaki; Yoshiyuki Suzuki; Yusuke Kawamura; Masahiro Kobayashi; Tetsuya Hosaka; Hiromi Yatsuji; Miharu Hirakawa; Naoki Matsumoto; Satoshi Saito; Kenji Ikeda; Mariko Kobayashi; Hiromitsu Kumada

doi:10.2169/internalmedicine.49.3299

ORIGINAL ARTICLES

Efficacy and Safety of Combination Therapy of Natural Human Interferon β and Ribavirin in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients with Genotype 2 and High Virus Load

Yasuji Arase, Fumitaka Suzuki, Norio Akuta, Hitomi Sezaki, Yoshiyuki Suzuki, Yusuke Kawamura, Masahiro Kobayashi, Tetsuya Hosaka, Hiromi Yatsuji, Miharu Hirakawa, Naoki Matsumoto, Satoshi Saito, Kenji Ikeda, Mariko Kobayashi, Hiromitsu Kumada

Author information

Yasuji Arase
Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital
Fumitaka Suzuki
Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital
Norio Akuta
Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital
Hitomi Sezaki
Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital
Yoshiyuki Suzuki
Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital
Yusuke Kawamura
Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital
Masahiro Kobayashi
Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital
Tetsuya Hosaka
Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital
Hiromi Yatsuji
Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital
Miharu Hirakawa
Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital
Naoki Matsumoto
Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital
Satoshi Saito
Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital
Kenji Ikeda
Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital
Mariko Kobayashi
Hepatic Research Unit, Toranomon Hospital
Hiromitsu Kumada
Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital

Keywords: chronic hepatitis C, natural interferon-beta, ribavirin, HCV genotype 2

JOURNAL OPEN ACCESS

2010 Volume 49 Issue 11 Pages 965-970

DOI https://doi.org/10.2169/internalmedicine.49.3299

Details

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of combination therapy of natural human interferon-beta and ribavirin in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2 and high virus load.
Methods Inclusion criteria were HCV-genotype 2, serum HCV RNA level of ≥100 KIU/mL before combination therapy. A total of 24 were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study. The treatment period of combination therapy was 24 weeks.
Results Of the 24 study patients, no patient stopped the treatment due to treatment-related adverse events. The dose of drugs were reduced in 8 patients. Twenty-one of 24 patients (87.5%) had sustained virological response (SVR) by the intention to treat analysis. The rate of negative HCV RNA at 8 week after the initiation of treatment was 18/21 (86%) in patients with SVR and 1/3 (33%) in patients with non-SVR. Logistic regression analysis showed that SVR occurred when serum HCV RNA at 8 week after the initiation of combination therapy was negative (hazard ratio: 40.0; 95% confidence interval=1.75-914.78; p=0.021)
Conclusion The combination therapy of IFN-beta and ribavirin offers sufficient safety and efficacy in chronic hepatitis C patients with genotype 2 and high virus load.

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