2012 Volume 38 Issue 1 Pages 43-50
Many patients have to discontinue treatment with pegylated interferon ribavirin (PEG-IFNα-2b/RBV) combination therapy due to haematological side effects such as thrombocytopenia after the start of combination therapy, and the drop in sustained virological response rates due to the cessation of therapy is problematic. The present study, therefore, examined 121 hepatitis C patients who underwent PEG-IFNα-2b/RBV combination therapy at Nihon University Itabashi Hospital from April 2003 to March 2009, fitted them into a multiple regression model with the lowest platelet level up to 3 weeks after the start of treatment as the objective variable and patient demographics before the start of treatment as the explanatory variable, and prepared a predictive model of the lowest platelet level. Using this, a predictive model of the lowest platelet level (R2 = 0.70, p <0.0001) was prepared for (1) the dose of PEG-IFNα-2b (μg/kg) per 1 kg of body weight, (2) platelet count (×109/L), and (3) ALP (IU/L) as a variable. This predictive model is not only expected to make it easier to avoid treatment discontinuation, but also to call attention to any hemorrhagic tendency early on and allow measures to be taken, and should lead to qualitative improvement in treatment.
