Document Detail


Treatment profile of hepatitis C patients - a comparison of interferon alpha 2a and 2b treatment regimes.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20810048     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
OBJECTIVE: To compare the side effects, cost, end treatment response (ETR) and Sustained viral response (SVR) with combination therapy of either interferon alpha 2a or 2b in combination with Ribavarin.
STUDY DESIGN: Randomized Control Clinical Trial (RCCT).
PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: The study was conducted at Sarwar Zuberi Liver Centre (SZLC), Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK), from May 2004 to July 2009.
METHODOLOGY: Patients positive for qualitative HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) by Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and genotype 3 were included. Patients with decompensated cirrhosis, severe depressive illness, autoimmune hepatitis, hyperthyroidism, pregnancy, heart failure, uncontrolled diabetes, obstructive pulmonary disease, children less than three years and patients who had previously received treatment were excluded. Single blind randomization using computerized randomization list was done and patients divided into groups A and B, those requiring treatment were given injection Interferon 3 million units (MU) subcutaneously (SC) three times/week and Ribavarin 1000 mg per day (weight ≤ 75kg) and 1200 mg/day (weight > 75kg) orally with either interferon alpha 2a (group A; FDA approved products) or alpha 2b (group B; non FDA approved product). Demographics, side effects, ETR and SVR were noted. ETR was defined as absence of virus at the end of treatment and SVR was taken as absence of HCV RNA at 6 months after completion of treatment.
RESULTS: There were a total 310 patients with mean age of 34.07 +/- 9.38 years including 52.4% males, (n=162). Majority of the patients were from North Pakistan. There were 155 patients each in group A and group B respectively. The cost of treatment for interferon alpha for a single patient for 6 months was Rs 60,000, while for Interferon alpha 2b was Rs 30,000. Side effects (fever initially, followed by fatigue, headache, musculoskeletal pain, depression, alopecia, insomnia, and anorexia) were more prominent in group B when compared with group A. In group A, ETR was 83.8% (130/155) while in group B was 83.2% (129/155). While SVR available in group A was 61/70 (87.1%) and in group B was 60/72 (83.3%).
CONCLUSION: Response to combination therapy for HCV was 83%. ETR and SVR were similar for both interferon alpha 2a and 2b. Side effects though minor are more with alpha 2b (non FDA approved products).
Authors:
Sina Aziz; Rana Qamar; Iftikhar Ahmed; Khalid Imran; Muhammad Masroor; Jamila Rajper; Saba Nafay; Wajeeha Noorulain; Masood Hameed Khan
Related Documents :
19142298 - Survival, plasma hiv-1 rna concentrations and drug resistance in hiv-1-infected haitian...
17058238 - A simple noninvasive index for predicting long-term outcome of chronic hepatitis c afte...
15357648 - Sustained response after a 2-year course of lamivudine treatment of hepatitis b e antig...
10971058 - Long-term effects of interferon alpha 2a treatment in behçet's disease.
20524578 - Inhaled triamcinolone with proton pump inhibitor for treatment of vocal process granulo...
21244378 - Extramammary paget's disease of the unilateral axilla: a review of seven cases in a 20-...
Publication Detail:
Type:  Comparative Study; Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons--Pakistan : JCPSP     Volume:  20     ISSN:  1022-386X     ISO Abbreviation:  J Coll Physicians Surg Pak     Publication Date:  2010 Sep 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-09-02     Completed Date:  2010-11-02     Revised Date:  2012-02-15    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9606447     Medline TA:  J Coll Physicians Surg Pak     Country:  Pakistan    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  581-5     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Sarwar Zuberi Liver Centre, Civil Hospital/Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi. sigma_98@hotmail.com
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use*
Child
Female
Hepatitis C, Chronic / drug therapy*,  virology
Humans
Interferon-alpha / adverse effects,  therapeutic use*
Male
Middle Aged
Recombinant Proteins
Single-Blind Method
Young Adult
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Antiviral Agents; 0/Interferon-alpha; 0/Recombinant Proteins; 76543-88-9/interferon alfa-2a; 99210-65-8/interferon alfa-2b
Comments/Corrections
Comment In:
J Coll Physicians Surg Pak. 2012 Jan;22(1):70-1; author reply 71   [PMID:  22237201 ]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Clinicopathological features of transient myeloproliferative syndrome and congenital leukaemia.
Next Document:  Effect of carvedilol on portal pressure estimated by hepatic vein Doppler ultrasound waveform and da...