Low- and standard-dose peginterferon alfa-2a for chronic hepatitis C, genotype 2 or 3: efficacy, tolerability, viral kinetics and cytokine response.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Chronic infection with hepatitis C, genotype 2/3, responds better than other genotypes to peginterferon and ribavirin treatment. We hypothesized that a lower dose of peginterferon would be as effective, but less toxic than standard doses.

Aim

To test the hypothesis that a lower dose of peginterferon would be as effective as, but less toxic than, standard doses.

Methods

A total of 30 patients were treated with low-dose peginterferon alfa-2a (90 microg/week) and 27 patients with standard doses (180 microg/week) for 24 weeks in combination with 800 mg/day of ribavirin. Patients who failed treatment were offered 48 weeks of standard-dose treatment. Viral and serum inducible protein 10 (IP-10) levels were measured and early viral kinetic parameters were calculat

SUBMITTER: Rotman Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2861161 | biostudies-literature | 2010 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature