Abstract
To assess the efficacy of therapy with the antiviral agent interferon in chronic hepatitis C (non-A, non-B hepatitis), we randomly assigned 166 chronic hepatitis C patients to treatment with either 3 million or 1 million units of recombinant interferon alfa-2b three times weekly for 24 weeks, or to no treatment. The probability of normalization or near normalization of the serum alanine aminotransferase levels after 6 months of interferon therapy was 46% in patients treated with 3 million units of interferon (p < 0.001) and 28% in those treated with 1 million units (p < 0.02), but only 8% in untreated patients. Serum alanine aminotransferase levels became completely normal in 22 of the 26 patients (85%) who responded to treatment with 3 million units of interferon and 9 of the 16 patients (56%) who responded to treatment with 1 million units. The patients who received 3 million units of interferon had histological improvement because of the regression of lobular and periportal inflammation. Relapse within 6 months after the completion of treatment occurred in 51% of the patients treated with 3 million units of interferon and 44% of those treated with 1 million units. We conclude that a 24-week course of interferon therapy is effective in controlling disease activity in many patients with hepatitis C, although relapse after the cessation of treatment is common.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Journal of Hepatology |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue number | SUPPL. 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 1990 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Gastroenterology
Cite this
Treatment of chronic hepatitis C with recombinant α-interferon. A multicentre randomized, controlled trial. / Davis, G. L.; Balart, L. A.; Schiff, Eugene R; Lindsay, K.; Bodenheimer, H. C.; Perrillo, R. P.; Carey, W.; Jacobson, I. M.; Payne, J.; Dienstag, J. L.; Van Thiel, D. H.; Tamburro, C.; Lefkowitch, J.; Albrecht, J.; Meschievitz, C.; Ortego, T. J.; Gibas, A.
In: Journal of Hepatology, Vol. 11, No. SUPPL. 1, 01.01.1990.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Treatment of chronic hepatitis C with recombinant α-interferon. A multicentre randomized, controlled trial
AU - Davis, G. L.
AU - Balart, L. A.
AU - Schiff, Eugene R
AU - Lindsay, K.
AU - Bodenheimer, H. C.
AU - Perrillo, R. P.
AU - Carey, W.
AU - Jacobson, I. M.
AU - Payne, J.
AU - Dienstag, J. L.
AU - Van Thiel, D. H.
AU - Tamburro, C.
AU - Lefkowitch, J.
AU - Albrecht, J.
AU - Meschievitz, C.
AU - Ortego, T. J.
AU - Gibas, A.
PY - 1990/1/1
Y1 - 1990/1/1
N2 - To assess the efficacy of therapy with the antiviral agent interferon in chronic hepatitis C (non-A, non-B hepatitis), we randomly assigned 166 chronic hepatitis C patients to treatment with either 3 million or 1 million units of recombinant interferon alfa-2b three times weekly for 24 weeks, or to no treatment. The probability of normalization or near normalization of the serum alanine aminotransferase levels after 6 months of interferon therapy was 46% in patients treated with 3 million units of interferon (p < 0.001) and 28% in those treated with 1 million units (p < 0.02), but only 8% in untreated patients. Serum alanine aminotransferase levels became completely normal in 22 of the 26 patients (85%) who responded to treatment with 3 million units of interferon and 9 of the 16 patients (56%) who responded to treatment with 1 million units. The patients who received 3 million units of interferon had histological improvement because of the regression of lobular and periportal inflammation. Relapse within 6 months after the completion of treatment occurred in 51% of the patients treated with 3 million units of interferon and 44% of those treated with 1 million units. We conclude that a 24-week course of interferon therapy is effective in controlling disease activity in many patients with hepatitis C, although relapse after the cessation of treatment is common.
AB - To assess the efficacy of therapy with the antiviral agent interferon in chronic hepatitis C (non-A, non-B hepatitis), we randomly assigned 166 chronic hepatitis C patients to treatment with either 3 million or 1 million units of recombinant interferon alfa-2b three times weekly for 24 weeks, or to no treatment. The probability of normalization or near normalization of the serum alanine aminotransferase levels after 6 months of interferon therapy was 46% in patients treated with 3 million units of interferon (p < 0.001) and 28% in those treated with 1 million units (p < 0.02), but only 8% in untreated patients. Serum alanine aminotransferase levels became completely normal in 22 of the 26 patients (85%) who responded to treatment with 3 million units of interferon and 9 of the 16 patients (56%) who responded to treatment with 1 million units. The patients who received 3 million units of interferon had histological improvement because of the regression of lobular and periportal inflammation. Relapse within 6 months after the completion of treatment occurred in 51% of the patients treated with 3 million units of interferon and 44% of those treated with 1 million units. We conclude that a 24-week course of interferon therapy is effective in controlling disease activity in many patients with hepatitis C, although relapse after the cessation of treatment is common.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0025696946&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/0168-8278(90)90160-S
DO - 10.1016/0168-8278(90)90160-S
M3 - Article
C2 - 2127785
AN - SCOPUS:0025696946
VL - 11
JO - Journal of Hepatology
JF - Journal of Hepatology
SN - 0168-8278
IS - SUPPL. 1
ER -