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Efficacy and safety of interferon treatment in elderly patients with chronic hepatitis C in J apan: A retrospective study using the J apanese I nterferon D atabase
Author(s) -
Sato Izumi,
Shimbo Takuro,
Kawasaki Yohei,
Mizokami Masashi,
Masaki Naohiko
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
hepatology research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.123
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1872-034X
pISSN - 1386-6346
DOI - 10.1111/hepr.12419
Subject(s) - medicine , retrospective cohort study , hepatitis c , chronic hepatitis , interferon , hepatitis c virus , cohort , population , pegylated interferon , immunology , ribavirin , virus , environmental health
Aim Although interferon ( IFN ) treatment in elderly patients with chronic hepatitis C virus ( HCV ) infection has increased with the aging J apanese population, few studies have examined the efficacy and safety of IFN treatment in this population. We investigated the efficacy and safety of IFN treatment in elderly patients with chronic HCV infection using the J apanese I nterferon D atabase. Methods Records of IFN treatment in 36 prefectures in J apan from D ecember 2009 to A pril 2013 were examined. Patients with HCV infection who received IFN treatment were selected. We compared the sustained virological response ( SVR ) rate and the withdrawal from treatment proportion among elderly patients (≥75 years) with those among younger patients (<65 years, 65–74 years). Results We identified 15 267 patients with chronic HCV infection as the study cohort from the database. Of these, 310 patients were elderly with a mean age of 76.7 ± 1.95 years (2.03%; men, 155; women, 155), and the majority (87%) were treated with pegylated IFN . Lower SVR rates (aged <64 years, 65.3%; aged 65–74 years, 49.6%; aged ≥75 years, 46.5%; P < 0.001) and higher withdrawal from treatment proportions (aged <64 years, 15.0%; aged 65–74 years, 21.5%; aged ≥75 years, 32.4%; P < 0.001) were observed with aging. Conclusion We conclude that elderly patients with chronic HCV infection taking IFN therapy achieved lower SVR rates and a higher withdrawal from treatment proportion than younger patients.