摘要
AIM:To analyze the efficacy and safety of a combination therapy of pegylated interferon(PEG-IFN) α-2b plus ribavirin(RBV) in older Japanese patients(65 years or older) infected with hepatitis C virus(HCV).METHODS:This multicenter study included 938 patients with HCV genotype 1 who received 1.5 μg/kg per week PEG-IFN α-2b plus RBV 600-1000 mg/d for 48 wk and 313 HCV genotype 2 patients who received this treatment for 24 wk.RESULTS:At 24 wk after the end of combination therapy,the overall sustained virological response(SVR) for genotypes 1 and 2 were 40.7% and 79.6%,respectively.The SVR rate decreased signif icantly with age in each genotype,and was markedly reduced in genotype 1(P<0.001).Moreover,the SVR was significantly higher in patients with genotype 1 who were less than 65 years(47.3% of 685) than in those 65 years or older(22.9% of 253)(P<0.001) and was higher in patients with genotype 2 who were less than 65 years(82.9% of 252) than in those 65 years or older(65.6% of 61)(P=0.004).When patients received a dosage at least 80% or more of the target dosage of PEG-IFN α-2b and 60% or more of the target dosage of RBV,the SVR rate significantly increased to 66.5% in patients less than 65 years and to 45.2% in those 65 years or older(P<0.001).Adverse effects resulted in treatment discontinuation more often in patients with genotype 1(14.4%) than in patients with genotype 2(7.3%),especially by patients 65 years or older(24.1%).CONCLUSION:PEG-IFN α-2b plus RBV treatment was effective in chronic hepatitis C patients 65 years or older who completed treatment with at least the minimum acceptable treatment dosage.
AIM:To analyze the efficacy and safety of a combination therapy of pegylated interferon(PEG-IFN) α-2b plus ribavirin(RBV) in older Japanese patients(65 years or older) infected with hepatitis C virus(HCV).METHODS:This multicenter study included 938 patients with HCV genotype 1 who received 1.5 μg/kg per week PEG-IFN α-2b plus RBV 600-1000 mg/d for 48 wk and 313 HCV genotype 2 patients who received this treatment for 24 wk.RESULTS:At 24 wk after the end of combination therapy,the overall sustained virologica...
