Sustained virological response to pegylated interferon and ribavirin in patients with genotype 3 HCV cirrhosis.

Document Type

Article

Department

Gastroenterology

Abstract

Background:Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) virus infection in Patients with cirrhosis is difficult to treat. There is limited data on the outcome of treatment for genotype 3 HCV infection with cirrhosis. AimS: To determine sustained virological response (SVR) and its predictive factors in Patients with cirrhosis due to genotype 3 HCV infection treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin (RBV).

Methods:

Consecutive Patients with compensated cirrhosis due to HCV genotype 3 with positive HCV RNA treated with peg-IFN and RBV in our Gastroenterology Clinics during November 2005 to December 2006 were included in this study. Cirrhosis was diagnosed on the basis of liver biopsy and/or biochemical testing and ultrasound of abdomen. Primary end point of treatment was SVR.

Results:

Of 66 Patients, 32 (48.5%) were male. The mean age was 46.2 +/- 10.1 years, there were 61 (92.4%) Patients with Child's A cirrhosis followed by 5 (7.6%) with Child's B type. 33 (50%) Patients received pegylated interferon alfa-2a (180 microg/wk) with ribavirin and 33 (50%) received pegylated interferon alfa 2b (1 microg/kg/week) with ribavirin. EVR was achieved in 44 (66.7%), and ETR in 46 (69.7%), overall SVR was achieved in 38 (57.6%) Patients. Factors predictive of SVR were age (p value = 0.03), treatment naive status (p value = 0.04) and EVR (p value < 0.001). Five Patients were unable to complete the treatment due to side effects or cytopenias.

Conclusions:

Treatment of Patients with HCV genotype 3, compensated cirrhosis, with pegylated interferon and ribavirin is effective and well tolerated.

Publication (Name of Journal)

Tropical Gastroenterology : official Journal of the Digestive Diseases Foundation

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