Efficacy and safety of chronic hepatitis C treatment in hemophilic patients.

摘要

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Chronic hepatitis C infection is very common among hemophiliacs in the developed World. METHODOLOGY: Retrospective evaluation of the treatment results in hemophiliacs with chronic hepatitis C, all infected with genotype 1b. Twelve patients were treated with interferon-alpha monotherapy, 21 patients with interferon-alpha and ribavirin, and 3 patients with pegylated interferon and ribavirin, all for 48 weeks. RESULTS: Sustained virologic response (defined as an undetectable serum HCV RNA level 24 weeks after treatment was completed) was not achieved in any of 12 patients treated with interferon-alpha alone. Combination therapy with interferon-alpha and ribavirin was associated with better results: 4/10 (40%) patients still untreated with interferon-alpha, 2/4 (50%) relapsers, and 2/7 (29%) non-responders to previous interferon-alpha monotherapy achieved sustained virologic responses. Combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin has been used in 3 patients. Sustained response was achieved in one patient who had relapsed after treatment with interferon-alpha and ribavirin and in 1 of 2 non-responders to this combination therapy. There were no serious adverse events and it was not necessary to reduce dosages or even cease therapy prematurely. CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy and tolerability of antiviral treatment in hemophiliacs did not differ from other patients with chronic hepatitis C.