The Comparative Efficacy and Safety of Peginterferon Alpha-2a vs. 2b for the Treatment of Chronic HCV Infection: A Meta-Analysis

Seyed Alavian; Bita Behnava; Seyed Tabatabaei

Hepatitis Monthly

Official Journal of Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases

Current Issue Accepted Manuscripts All Issues In Press Articles Search

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

APC

Authors Guide Submit Manuscript

The Comparative Efficacy and Safety of Peginterferon Alpha-2a vs. 2b for the Treatment of Chronic HCV Infection: A Meta-Analysis

Author(s):

Seyed Moayed Alavian^1,*,

Bita Behnava²,

Seyed Vahid Tabatabaei²

1Baqiyatallah Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, editor@hepmon.com, Tehran, IR.Iran

2Baqiyatallah Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR.Iran

Hepatitis Monthly:Vol. 10, issue 2; 121-131

Published online:Jun 30, 2010

Article type:Review Article

Received:Feb 08, 2010

Accepted:Mar 12, 2010

How to Cite:Alavian S M, Behnava B, Tabatabaei S V. The Comparative Efficacy and Safety of Peginterferon Alpha-2a vs. 2b for the Treatment of Chronic HCV Infection: A Meta-Analysis.Hepat Mon.2010;10(2):121-131.

Abstract

Background and Aims: Two types of peginterferon, alpha-2a (PEG-IFN-α2a) and 2b (PEG-IFN-α2b), are approved for the treatment of hepatitis C infection. Several high-quality studies have compared the efficacy of these two types of interferon, but it seems that any of these trials had inadequate statistical power on their own to find even a tiny difference between these two medicines. We pooled the available data in the literature to find any small difference between these two medicines.

Methods: In a systematic review of the literature, randomized controlled trials comparing the use of PEG-α2a vs. 2b were assessed. The DerSimonian and Laird method was employed to run meta-analysis. The end points were virological responses.

Results: In 7 randomized controlled trials, 3518 patients were randomized to receive PEG-IFN-α2a + ribavirin (n=1762) or PEG-IFN-α2b + ribavirin (n=1756). Early virological response (EVR), early treatment response (ETR), and sustained virological response (SVR) were greater for patients treated with PEG-IFN-α2a. Odds Ratios (ORs) were 1.38 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-1.71), 1.67 (95% CI 1.24-2.24), and 1.38 (95% CI 1.02-1.88) respectively. In the subset of naïve patients with genotype 1/4 and 2, ORs of SVR were 1.38 (95% CI 1.02-1.88) and 4.06 (95% CI 1.67-9.86) respectively. PEG-IFN-α2a had significantly higher rate of neutropenia OR=1.50 (95% CI 1.25-1.79) but pooled OR for withdrawal rates was not significant [OR=0.78 (95% CI 0.47-1.29)].

Conclusions: PEG-IFN-α2a with similar safety is more effective than PEG-IFN-α2b. A longer duration of maximum serum concentration compared with PEG-IFN-α2b (168 vs. 48-72 h.) yields a greater SVR and higher neutropenia in PEG-IFN- α2a recipients.

Keywords

Peginterferon Alpha-2a

Peginterferon Alpha-2b

Full Text

Full text is available in PDF

Import into EndNote Import into BibTex

Share on

Comments

Number of Comments:0

Cited by

Scopus by DOI: 0
Last Update: 1 month ago
Scopus by Title: 26
Last Update: 1 month ago
Scopus by Title (Ref): 26
Last Update: 1 month ago
CrossRef: 0
Last Update: 5 days ago

Metrics

Purchasing Reprints

Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) handles bulk orders for article reprints for Brieflands. To place an order for reprints, please click here ( https://www.copyright.com/landing/reprintsinquiryform/ ). Clicking this link will bring you to a CCC request form where you can provide the details of your order. Once complete, please click the ‘Submit Request’ button and CCC’s Reprints Services team will generate a quote for your review.

Search Relations

Author(s):

Seyed Alavian:[PubMed][Scholar]
Bita Behnava:[PubMed][Scholar]
Seyed Tabatabaei:[PubMed][Scholar]

Official Journal of Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases

Outlines

The Comparative Efficacy and Safety of Peginterferon Alpha-2a vs. 2b for the Treatment of Chronic HCV Infection: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Full Text

Last Update: 1 month ago

Last Update: 1 month ago

Last Update: 1 month ago

Last Update: 5 days ago