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Effectiveness of interferon plus ribavirin combination in the treatment of naive patients with hepatitis C virus type 5. A French multicentre retrospective study
Author(s) -
BONNY C.,
FONTAINE H.,
POYNARD T.,
HÉZODE C.,
LARREY D.,
MARCELLIN P.,
BOURLIÈRE M.,
BRONOWICKI J. P.,
MERLE P.,
ZARSKI J. P.,
SAPEY T.,
GUILLEMARD C.,
UGHETTO S.,
HENQUELL C.,
NICOLAS C.,
ROCHE C.,
RANDL K.,
BOMMELAER G.,
ABERGEL A.
Publication year - 2006
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.1365-2036.2006.03018.x
Subject(s) - ribavirin , medicine , interferon , hepatitis c virus , virology , hepatitis c , retrospective cohort study , gastroenterology , hepacivirus , virus
Summary Aim To assess the rate of sustained virological response in naïve hepatitis C virus‐type 5 patients treated by standard interferon or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy‐interferon (peg‐interferon) and ribavirin combination for 48 weeks. Patients and methods A total of 87 hepatitis C virus patients were included from 12 centres in France; 28 patients received interferon plus ribavirin and 59 were treated with peg‐interferon plus ribavirin. Results Baseline characteristics were: mean age 58 ± 11 years, sex ratio 1, 66% had metavir fibrosis score ≥F2, 21% were cirrhotics and 53% had pretherapeutic viral load ≥800 000 IU/mL. Sustained virological response was achieved in 64% and 58% of hepatitis C virus‐5 patients treated with interferon and peg‐interferon, respectively (NS). In adherent patients, sustained virological response was obtained in 75% of patients. Sustained virological response in hepatitis C virus‐5 patients (60%) was significantly higher than sustained virological response in hepatitis C virus‐1 patients (37%) ( P = 0.0499) and not significantly different from sustained virological response in hepatitis C virus‐2–3 patients (63%) ( P = 0.8098). Conclusions Combination therapy is effective in 60% of hepatitis C virus‐5‐infected patients. Sustained virological response seems better in hepatitis C virus‐5 patients than in hepatitis C virus‐1 patients, and is similar to that of hepatitis C virus‐2–3 patients. More studies are needed to determine optimal duration of treatment in hepatitis C virus‐5 patients.