Patient characteristics associated with peglyated interferon alfa‐2a induced neutropenia in chronic hepatitis C patients

• Published in: Clinical and experimental pharmacology & physiology 2018-07, Vol.45 (7), p.636-642
• Main Authors: Hindi, Nagham N, Saleh, Mohammad I
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cholesterol; Chronic infection; Demographics; Gender; Hepatitis; Hepatitis C; Interferon; Intervention; Leukocytes (neutrophilic); Neutropenia; Neutrophils; Patients; pegylated interferon alfa‐2a; predictors; Regression analysis; Ribavirin; Viruses; α-Interferon
• ISSN: 0305-1870; 1440-1681
• DOI: 10.1111/1440-1681.12934

Summary Neutropenia is a haematologic disorder commonly reported in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection treated with pegylated interferon alfa‐2a (PEG‐IFN α‐2a). The objective of the present project is to identify patient characteristics associated with neutropenia in hepatitis C patients. Demographic, clinical, and genetic data from 715 patients with chronic HCV infection treated with PEG‐IFN α‐2a and ribavirin. The outcome variable was the development of grade 3 or 4 neutropenia, defined as the decrease in neutrophil counts below 1 109/L anytime during study. Predictors of neutropenia were identified using a 2‐stage approach. First, univariate analysis was performed to identify possible predictors of neutropenia. T test was used for continuous variables and Fisher's exact test was used for categorical variables. Second, multiple logistic regression with stepwise addition was then performed using predictors identified in the univariate analysis step to produce final model containing independent predictors at P