Abstract
Background: Alpha interferon (IFN) alone or in combination with Ribavirin (RBV) is the treatment of choice for HCV related chronic liver disease. There are many types of alpha IFN and to date only few reports are available comparing different types of alpha interferon. We run a randomised controlled trial with the aim to compare tolerability and efficacy of two different types of IFN: recombinant alpha 2b interferon (IFN-R) and leukocyte alpha n-3 interferon (IFN-L) at the same dosage of 3 MU subcutaneously thrice weekly for one year. Methods: one hundred sixty eight consecutive anti-HCV positive naive patients, 34 mild chronic active hepatitis (MCH), 81 moderate-severe hepatitis (MSCR) and 53 active cirrhosis (CIRR) that met the inclusion criteria were enrolled into the study. The diagnosis of HCV chronic liver disease was established by liver biopsy performed on patients with abnormal serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) value for at least one year. HCV serology: all patients were tested for confirmatory test RIBA II, HCV-RNA, and identification of viral genotype. Patients were randomised to receive either IFN-R or IFN-L. Follow-up continued for at least two years after stopping treatment. Results: no significant differences were observed between the two groups of treatment as far as the incidence of side effects is concerned. Tolerability was good: only 11 in IFN-R and 8 patients IFN-L group respectively had to stop therapy due to side effects. The two types of IFN showed a comparable efficacy: an end of therapy response was observed in 34% of IFN-R and 30% of IFN-L patients; a sustained response was seen in 16% of IFN-R and in 19% of IFN-L patients. Conclusion: in the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C there was no statistically significant difference in tolerability and efficacy between the two IFNs tested.
Keywords: recombinant alpha, leurocyte interferon, chc, mch, mscr, cirr
Current Pharmaceutical Design
Title: Incidence of Side Effects During Therapy with Different Types of Alpha Interferon: A Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing Recombinant Alpha 2b Versus Leukocyte Interferon in the Therapy of Naive Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C
Volume: 8 Issue: 11
Author(s): Antonio Ascione, Massimo De Luca, Giovan Giuseppe Di Costanzo, Francesco aolo Picciotto, Alfonso Galeota Lanza, Carmine Canestrini, Filomena Morisco, Concetta Tuccillo and Nicola Caporaso
Affiliation:
Keywords: recombinant alpha, leurocyte interferon, chc, mch, mscr, cirr
Abstract: Background: Alpha interferon (IFN) alone or in combination with Ribavirin (RBV) is the treatment of choice for HCV related chronic liver disease. There are many types of alpha IFN and to date only few reports are available comparing different types of alpha interferon. We run a randomised controlled trial with the aim to compare tolerability and efficacy of two different types of IFN: recombinant alpha 2b interferon (IFN-R) and leukocyte alpha n-3 interferon (IFN-L) at the same dosage of 3 MU subcutaneously thrice weekly for one year. Methods: one hundred sixty eight consecutive anti-HCV positive naive patients, 34 mild chronic active hepatitis (MCH), 81 moderate-severe hepatitis (MSCR) and 53 active cirrhosis (CIRR) that met the inclusion criteria were enrolled into the study. The diagnosis of HCV chronic liver disease was established by liver biopsy performed on patients with abnormal serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) value for at least one year. HCV serology: all patients were tested for confirmatory test RIBA II, HCV-RNA, and identification of viral genotype. Patients were randomised to receive either IFN-R or IFN-L. Follow-up continued for at least two years after stopping treatment. Results: no significant differences were observed between the two groups of treatment as far as the incidence of side effects is concerned. Tolerability was good: only 11 in IFN-R and 8 patients IFN-L group respectively had to stop therapy due to side effects. The two types of IFN showed a comparable efficacy: an end of therapy response was observed in 34% of IFN-R and 30% of IFN-L patients; a sustained response was seen in 16% of IFN-R and in 19% of IFN-L patients. Conclusion: in the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C there was no statistically significant difference in tolerability and efficacy between the two IFNs tested.
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Ascione Antonio, Luca De Massimo, Costanzo Giuseppe Di Giovan, Picciotto aolo Francesco, Lanza Galeota Alfonso, Canestrini Carmine, Morisco Filomena, Tuccillo Concetta and Caporaso Nicola, Incidence of Side Effects During Therapy with Different Types of Alpha Interferon: A Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing Recombinant Alpha 2b Versus Leukocyte Interferon in the Therapy of Naive Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2002; 8 (11) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612024607018
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612024607018 |
Print ISSN 1381-6128 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4286 |
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