Interferon-alpha 2b therapy in low-activity hepatitis C: a pilot study

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of gastroenterology 1997-12, Vol.32 (12), p.1256
• Main Authors: Nordøy, I, Krarup, H B, Bell, H, Christensen, P B, Elgjo, K, von der Lippe, B, De Muckadell, O S, Maeland, A, Ring-Larsen, H, Samdal, H H, Simmonds, P, Skaug, K, Tage-Jensen, U, Schrumpf, E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Alanine Transaminase - blood; Antiviral Agents - adverse effects; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Biopsy; Female; Hepatitis C - blood; Hepatitis C - pathology; Hepatitis C - therapy; Hepatitis, Chronic - blood; Hepatitis, Chronic - pathology; Hepatitis, Chronic - therapy; Humans; Interferon-alpha - adverse effects; Interferon-alpha - therapeutic use; Male; Middle Aged; Pilot Projects; Prospective Studies; RNA, Viral - analysis
• ISSN: 0036-5521
• DOI: 10.3109/00365529709028156

Many patients with chronic hepatitis C have long periods of normal or near-normal liver enzyme levels, even though histologic alterations have been confirmed. The recommendation today is not to treat this patient group. In a pilot study 23 hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA-positive patients with alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) levels less than 1.5 times upper normal limits for at least 6 months on more than three occasions and with histologic liver abnormalities compatible with chronic hepatitis C were treated with 3 MU of interferon-alpha 2b three times a week for 6 months. Nine patients (39%) became HCV RNA-negative in serum during treatment, but only two (8.7%) remained so after 6 months' follow-up. Significantly more patients with genotype other than type 1 became HCV RNA-negative than patients with genotype 1 during treatment (P = 0.005). Patients with low-activity chronic hepatitis C have a response to interferon-alpha treatment similar to that of patients with increased ALAT levels. Genotype seems to influence the rate of response.