Peginterferon α-2a and rivabirin in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C

Mymensingh Med J. 2014 Apr;23(2):335-40.

Abstract

Peginterferon α-2a with ribavirin produces significantly higher sustained virological response (SVR) in comparison to conventional interferon monotherapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of peginterferon α-2a plus ribavirin combination in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C among Bangladeshi patients. A total of 64 patients were randomly selected in this study and were assigned for treatment with peginterferon α-2a 180μg once weekly plus ribavirin daily for 24 weeks in case of genotypes 2 and 3 infections and 48 weeks in case of genotypes 1 and 4 infections. Ribavirin was given 800mg in divided doses in case of genotypes 2 and 3 infections and 1000mg-1200 mg in case of genotypes 1 and 4 infections according to body weight daily(1000 mg in divided doses if body weight <75kg and 1200mg in divided doses if body weight >75kg). Efficacy was assessed by measurements of serum HCV-RNA and serum ALT. A higher proportion of patients (71.87%) who received peginterferon α-2a plus ribavirin had a sustained virological response. It is observed that genotype 3 (a and b) patients showed poor response (SVR-47.05%), where as genotypes 1(a,b), 3 and 4 mixed, 2b and 4 infections showed response rate of 100%. So it can be concluded that once weekly peginterferon α-2a plus daily ribavirin is effective in chronic HCV infection in Bangladesh and overall response rate is similar to that reported in other studies.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Bangladesh
  • Cohort Studies
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / drug therapy*
  • Humans
  • Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polyethylene Glycols / therapeutic use*
  • Recombinant Proteins / therapeutic use
  • Ribavirin / therapeutic use*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Ribavirin
  • peginterferon alfa-2a