Abstract:

【Abstract】 Objective  To observe the clinical efficacy of ribavirin (RBV) plus diverse dosage of recombinant human interferon alpha-2b (IFN α-2b) in chronic patients infected with hepatitis C virus(CHC) genotype 2/3. Methods  One hundred and twenty-two patients infected with CHC genotype 2/3, received therapy in our hospital from January 2010 through May 2013, were allocated to treatment group(n=62) and control group(n=60). Patients in the two groups were uniformly administered by subcutaneous injection of IFN α-2b in dose of 6mU, every other day in the first 12 weeks. By the 13th week, the treatment group received subcutaneous injection of IFN α-2b in dose of 3mU, whereas the control group were subcutaneously given IFN α-2b in dose of 5mU, every other day, in combination with oral RBV in dose of 900- 1200 mg, three time a day. Follow-up started at the 24th week after therapy in patients had achieved end-of-treatment virologic response (ETVR), and non-responders were given extended therapy course for 3 months. Totally, two groups of patients received therapy sessions of 48 weeks and follow-up of 24 weeks. Then the two groups were compared regarding the corresponding rapid virologic response rate(RVR), non-response (NR), sustained SVR, treatment cost and adverse response. Results RVR, EVR and ETVR were 61.2% (38/62) and 58.3%(35/60), 69.4%(43/62) and 66.7%(40/60), 79%(49/62) and 85%(51/60), (χ2= 0.111, P> 0.05 ), (χ2 = 0.107, P> 0.05 ), (χ2= 0.735, P>0.05), respectively. The treatment group had lower NR than the controls[14.%(9/62) vs. 13.3%(8/60), (χ2=0.0356, P>0.05)], yet higher SVR[74.2%(46/62)vs. 78.3%(47/60), (χ2=0.29, P> 0.05)]. In addition, the treatment group consumed lower dose of IFNα-2b, and had reduction of medical cost by near 30 % as well as milder adverse reactions as compared with the control group. Conclusion  RBV plus IFNα-2b for chronic hepatitis C genotype 2/3 may lead to higher RVR, EVR and EVR, and even sustained ETVR and SVR after reduced dose of IFN, which can reduce the financial burden and adverse drug reactions for such patients.

Key words: Hepatitis C, Chronic, Interferon alfa-2b, Ribavirin