These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Combination treatment with interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C in patients who have failed to achieve sustained response to interferon alone: Swedish experience.
    Author: Schvarcz R, Ando Y, Sönnerborg A, Weiland O.
    Journal: J Hepatol; 1995; 23 Suppl 2():17-21. PubMed ID: 8720289.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: Only 10-20% of patients treated with interferon alfa alone attain long-term benefits. More effective regimens are needed. METHODS: Twenty Swedish patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection, ten with a prior non-response and ten with a non-sustained response to interferon alfa treatment alone, were treated with interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin in combination for 24 weeks, then followed up for another 24 weeks. Patients received interferon alfa-2b subcutaneously 3 MU thrice weekly and oral ribavirin 1000-1200 mg/day. RESULTS: All ten patients with a prior non-sustained response to interferon alone had a sustained biochemical response with normal aminotransferase levels at follow-up; nine also had a sustained viral response with a negative HCV-RNA test in serum. Among the ten patients with a prior biochemical non-response to interferon alone, five had normal aminotransferase levels at the end of therapy; four were negative for HCV RNA in serum. At follow-up, three had normal aminotransferase levels and a negative HCV-RNA test in serum. No major adverse effect was seen, apart from fatigue and an expected fall in hemoglobin levels from a mean of 155 g/l to 124 g/l at the end of therapy. All patients completed the treatment schedule, but the ribavirin dose was reduced in one patient because of a fall in hemoglobin to 99 g/l. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that combination treatment with interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin offers a chance of sustained biochemical response and virus eradication in a subset of patients who fail to achieve sustained response with interferon alfa alone.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]