Premium
Discontinuation of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin in patients who are not responding to therapy – patients’ views of early cessation of therapy
Author(s) -
D'Souza R.,
Main J.,
Crossey M.,
Rosenberg W.,
MurrayLyon I. M.,
Hayward C.,
Foster G. R.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
alimentary pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.308
H-Index - 177
eISSN - 1365-2036
pISSN - 0269-2813
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2004.02295.x
Subject(s) - medicine , ribavirin , discontinuation , pegylated interferon , hepatitis c , combination therapy , population , chronic hepatitis , immunology , virus , environmental health
Summary Background : Current therapy for chronic hepatitis C infection involves a course of pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Patients who do not show a virological response after 12 weeks of therapy have a low probability of sustained virological response and it is therefore recommended that such patients stop treatment. Aim : To assess patients’ views of early treatment cessation. Methods : We conducted a open‐labelled study in three UK centres, in which patients with biopsy‐proven chronic hepatitis C requiring therapy were offered the choice of a full course of therapy with 40 kDa pegylated interferon‐ α 2a plus ribavirin (24 or 48 weeks depending on viral genotype) or early cessation if therapy had failed after 12 weeks. Results : Ninety‐five participants were enrolled and the majority (69%) did not wish to discontinue therapy even if it had low probability of success. In this unselected UK population, very few patients (4%) did not achieve an early virological response with the 40‐kDa pegylated interferon‐ α 2a plus ribavirin and two of the four early virological non‐responders decided to continue therapy. Conclusion : Early discontinuation of ‘ineffective’ anti‐viral therapy may prove less popular with patients than with health care providers, and further patient‐directed education regarding the cost‐effectiveness of therapy will be needed if early discontinuation of unsuccessful therapy is to be accepted by patients.