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Optimal dose of peginterferon and ribavirin for treatment of chronic hepatitis C
Author(s) -
GambarinGelwan M.,
Jacobson I. M.
Publication year - 2008
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 - 10.1111/j.1365-2893.2008.01018.x
Subject(s) - ribavirin , medicine , dosing , pegylated interferon , chronic hepatitis , clinical trial , hepatitis c , pharmacology , gastroenterology , immunology , virus
Summary. Chronic hepatitis C affects 170 million people worldwide, including up to 4 million people in the United States. The current standard of care therapy with pegylated interferon (PEG‐IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) while highly successful in patients with genotype 2 and 3 infection, allows for sustained virologic response in 42–46% of treatment‐naïve genotype 1 patients, comprising about 70% of cases of chronic hepatitis C in the USA. While awaiting approval of Specifically Targeted Antiviral Therapy for HCV (STAT‐C) agents, which will require the completion of additional clinical trials, it is important to optimize the dose and duration of currently available treatment modalities, namely PEG‐IFN and RBV, for treatment of CHC. Results of several recent trials evaluating optimal dosing of RBV and higher than standard dosing of PEG‐IFN in treatment‐naïve genotype 1 patients, as well as data from retreatment trials with “induction” doses of PEG‐IFN or high‐dose RBV in prior non‐responders to IFN‐based therapy will be reviewed here. The possibility of shorter duration of therapy for genotype 2 and 3 patients based on recent publications and presentations will be discussed as well.