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KMID : 1103920070130030341
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Korean Journal of Hepatology
2007 Volume.13 No. 3 p.341 ~ p.348
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Short-Therapy with Pegylated Interferon plus Ribavirin for the Chronic Hepatitis C Genotype 2 Patients
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Jung Eun-Uk
Park Ji-Hun
Pae Kyung-Im
Kang Suk-Woo
Park Sung-Jae
Jee Sam-Ryong
Park Eun-Taek
Lee Youn-Jae
Lee Sang-Hyuk
Seol Sang-Young
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Abstract
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Background/aims:The standard treatment for chronic hepatitis C patients infected with HCV genotype-2 is a combination of pegylated interferon alfa and ribavirin over a 24 week period. It is unclear if a shorter treatment duration is possible for patients showing a rapid virological response (RVR) without compromising the sustained virologic response (SVR) in Korea.
Methods:42 patients chronically infected with the HCV genotype-2 were treated with peginterferon alfa-2a 180 mcg/wk plus ribavirin 800 mg/d for 24 weeks and followed up for 24 weeks. The HCV RNA was qualitatively assessed after 4 weeks of treatment, and RVR was defined as undetectable HCV RNA at the 4th week. Retrospectively, 26 patients were treated with the standard treatment strategy (> or =80% of the intended duration and dosage), 14 patients with a short-term treatment strategy (<80% intended duration and dosage) and 2 patients were excluded.
Results:Among the 42 patients, 35 patients (83%) had RVR and 38 patients (90%) had a sustained virologic response (SVR). All 7 patients without RVR were treated with the standard treatment strategy, in whom 6 patients (86%) had SVR. Among the 35 patients with RVR, 14 patients were treated with short-term treatment and 19 patients were treated with the standard treatment. SVR was obtained in 12 out of the 14 patients (86%) in the short-term treatment group and 18 out of the 19 (95%) in the standard treatment group (P=0.373).
Conclusion:HCV genotype-2 patients who have RVR with peginterferon and ribavirin treatment can be treated with a short-term treatment without compromising the chances for SVR. However, an additional trial will be needed to optimize the treatment duration.
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KEYWORD
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Hepatitis C, Peginterferon, Ribavirin, Rapid virologic response, Short-term treatment
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