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Twice‐weekly administration of peginterferon‐ α ‐2b improves viral kinetics in patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 1
Author(s) -
Formann E.,
Jessner W.,
Bennett L.,
Ferenci P.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of viral hepatitis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1365-2893
pISSN - 1352-0504
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2893.2003.00446.x
Subject(s) - dosing , medicine , viral load , gastroenterology , chronic hepatitis , alpha interferon , genotype , interferon , immunology , virology , virus , biology , biochemistry , gene
Summary. The decline in hepatitis C viral load on treatment with peginterferon‐ α ‐2b is not continuous. The aim of this study was to investigate whether twice weekly dosing of peginterferon‐ α ‐2b may improve viral kinetics. Ten interferon‐naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C (genotype 1a or b) were randomized to receive either 1.0 μ g/kg peginterferon‐ α ‐2b once (group A) or twice weekly (group B) for 4 weeks. Viral load and serum concentrations of peginterferon‐ α ‐2b were measured. Peginterferon‐ α ‐2b reached maximal blood concentrations 24 h after the first dose, followed by a linear decline during the subsequent days. On the day before administration of the next dose, peginterferon‐ α ‐2b was undetectable in nine patients in group A (once weekly dosing). The same pattern was observed during the next 3 weeks of therapy. In group B (twice weekly dosing) peginterferon‐ α ‐2b was detectable at any given time point and higher than in group A ( P between 0.01 and <0.0001). Viral load decreased in all patients within 2 days after the first dose of peginterferon‐ α ‐2b, but increased again on day 3. In group A, it further increased until day 7. A similar pattern was observed in the second week. In contrast, in group B, viral load decreased again on day 4 and remained lower until the end of the study ( P < 0.001). To achieve continuous drug exposure and to improve initial viral clearance, peginterferon‐ α ‐2b has to be given at least two times weekly.