Efficacy and Safety of Pegylated Interferon Alfa-2a plus Ribavirin for Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C and Cirrhosis in Iranian

Seyed Alavian; Behzad Hajarizadeh; Bashir Hajibeigi; Taher Doroudi; Amir Hamadanizadeh; Koroush Abar

Hepatitis Monthly

Official Journal of Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases

Current Issue All Issues In Press Articles Search Accepted Manuscripts

Journal Information Boards and committees Indexing and Listing Sources Journal Metrics Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement Reviewer and AE Registration Form Support Contact Us Open Peer Review (OPR)

APC

Authors Guide Submit Manuscript

Efficacy and Safety of Pegylated Interferon Alfa-2a plus Ribavirin for Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C and Cirrhosis in Iranian

Author(s):

Seyed Moayed Alavian^1,*,

Behzad Hajarizadeh²,

Bashir Hajibeigi²,

Taher Doroudi²,

Amir Kambiz Hamadanizadeh²,

Koroush Abar²

1Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran Hepatitis Center, Study Group of Interferonin Iran, manager@iranhepgroup.info, Tehran, IR.Iran

2Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran Hepatitis center, Tehran, IR.Iran

Hepatitis Monthly:Vol. 4, issue 7; 53-58

Article type:Research Article

How to Cite:Alavian S M, Hajarizadeh B, Hajibeigi B, Doroudi T, Hamadanizadeh A K, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Pegylated Interferon Alfa-2a plus Ribavirin for Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C and Cirrhosis in Iranian.Hepat Mon.4(7):53-58.

Abstract

Background and Aims: Pegylation of Interferon (IFN) prolongs the medication half-life, which has resulted in introducing Pegylated Interferon (PEG-IFN) as the new modality for treatment of chronic hepatitis C. This clinical trial was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of Peg-INF in combination with ribavirin in a number of Iranian patients with chronic hepatitis C or cirrhosis.

Methods: Fifty two patients with HCV RNA in serum, persistently elevated aminotransferase levels, and chronic hepatitis (n=45) or cirrhosis (n=7) on liver biopsy were enrolled to this study. The patients received PEG-IFN (40 kD) 180 micg per week plus ribavirin 10-15 mg/kg per day. Treatment lasted 48 weeks and was followed by a 24-week follow up period to assess sustained virologic response (SVR). The patients consisted of 46 males and 6 females with a mean age of 38.5 ± 10.9 years.

Results: In an intention-to-treat analysis HCV RNA was undetectable in 43 patients (83.7%) at week 48 and SVR was achieved in 28 patients (53.8%). SVR was achieved in 62.9% of naive patients, 35.3% of the patients who had a past failed treatment with IFN-based therapy, 60.0% of patients with chronic hepatitis and 14.3% of cirrhotic patients. In two patients (3.8%) adverse event led to treatment discontinuation and in eight patients (15.3%) dose modification of medication was required.

Conclusion: This study showed that combination therapy with PEG-IFN plus ribavirin was associated with a promising SVR rate and acceptable tolerability in Iranian patients. This regimen may be effective for patients who failed prior IFN-based treatment.

Keywords

Full Text

Full text is available in PDF

comments