| Treatment of hepatitis C virus carriers with persistently normal alanine aminotransferase levels with peginterferon alpha-2a and ribavirin: a multicentric study. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 19422478 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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BACKGROUND/AIMS: To evaluate, in clinical practice, the efficacy and safety of combined antiviral treatment in hepatitis C virus (HCV) carriers with normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. METHODS: Eighty-eight HCV carriers with persistently normal ALT levels were enrolled. All patients received peginterferon (PEG-IFN) alpha-2a 180 microg once weekly plus ribavirin (RBV) 800 mg/day for 24 weeks (HCV-2 and -3) or 1000-1200 mg/day for 48 weeks (HCV-1). RESULTS: Rapid virological response (RVR) was seen in 66/88 patients (75%): 19/32 HCV-1 (59%), 40/46 HCV-2 (87%) and 7/10 HCV-3 patients. Younger patients, leaner subjects and patients with non-1 genotype or lower baseline HCV RNA levels were more likely to achieve an RVR. Sustained virological response (SVR) was seen in 69/88 patients (78%): 20/32 HCV-1 patients (62%), 41/46 HCV-2 patients (89%) and 8/10 (80%) HCV-3 patients. The overall SVR rate was 88% in patients with RVR (58/66) and 50% in those without RVR. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of PEG-IFN alpha-2a and RBV produces, in patients with normal ALT, virological response rates that are comparable or even higher than those obtained in patients with elevated ALT levels. Thus, we suggest that in selected cases immediate therapy might be preferred to a 'wait-and-see' policy. |
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Authors:
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Claudio Puoti; Adriano M Pellicelli; Mario Romano; Fabrizio Mecenate; Riccardo Guarisco; Giorgio Barbarini; Ettore Mazzoni; Lucia Spilabotti; Lia Bellis; Federica Paglia; Angelo Barlattani; Antonio Picardi; Amerigo Paffetti; Maria Elena Bonaventura; Lorenzo Nosotti; Olga Mitidieri; Orlando Dell'Unto; Roberto Villani; Chiara Dell'Unto; Aldo Morrone; Fabrizio Soccorsi; |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article; Multicenter Study Date: 2009-04-28 |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Liver international : official journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver Volume: 29 ISSN: 1478-3231 ISO Abbreviation: Liver Int. Publication Date: 2009 Nov |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2009-10-08 Completed Date: 2010-01-07 Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 101160857 Medline TA: Liver Int Country: England |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 1479-84 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Department of Internal Medicine and Liver Unit, Marino Hospital, Rome, Italy. puoti@epatologia.org |
Export Citation:
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| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Adult Alanine Transaminase / blood* Antiviral Agents / administration & dosage* Carrier State / drug therapy*, pathology, virology Drug Therapy, Combination Female Hepatitis C / drug therapy*, pathology, virology Humans Interferon Alfa-2a / administration & dosage* Liver / pathology Male Middle Aged Polyethylene Glycols / administration & dosage* RNA, Viral / blood Ribavirin / administration & dosage* |
| Chemical | |
Reg. No./Substance:
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0/Antiviral Agents; 0/Polyethylene Glycols; 0/RNA, Viral; 0/peginterferon alfa-2a; 36791-04-5/Ribavirin; 76543-88-9/Interferon Alfa-2a; EC 2.6.1.2/Alanine Transaminase |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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