Effects of ribavirin combined with interferon-2b on viral kinetics during first 12 weeks of treatment in patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 1 and high baseline viral loads

[Guest guest]

Journal of Viral Hepatitis

Volume 11 Issue 5 Page 448 - September 2004

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2893.2004.00524.x

Effects of ribavirin combined with interferon-2b on viral kinetics during

first 12 weeks of treatment in patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 1

and high baseline viral loads

M. Enomoto1, S. Nishiguchi1, M. Kohmoto1, A. Tamori1, D. Habu1, T. Takeda1,

S. Seki1 and S. Shiomi2

Summary. This study aimed to find how ribavirin increases viral

disappearance in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) of genotype 1 and

high baseline viral loads (>5.0 105 copies/mL) when given with interferon

(IFN). Using the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we

measured serum HCV in 20 patients during the first 12 weeks of therapy with

IFN-2b and ribavirin. Controls were 10 similar patients given IFN-2b alone.

IFN-2b was given at 6 MU daily for 2 weeks, and then three times weekly.

Ribavirin was given at 600 or 800 mg daily. Serum HCV RNA decreased rapidly

in the first phase, during the first 24 h of therapy (day 0), and more

slowly in the early second phase (days 1-14). The median decrease was by

1.41 and 0.078 log 10/day in these two phases in the combination therapy

group, and 0.90 and 0.081 log 10/day in the monotherapy group. The

difference between groups in the first phase was not significant (P = 0.24),

nor was that in the next phase (P = 0.68). Later in the second phase,

between days 14 and 84, the median decrease was larger in the combination

therapy group (0.030 log 10/day) than in the monotherapy group (0.015 log

10/day, P = 0.035). In patients with HCV genotype 1 and high viral loads,

the effects of ribavirin with IFN- appeared slowly, after the earliest days

of treatment. A long-term favourable outcome of combination therapy may be

associated with a rapid viral decline in this later phase of therapy.

[Guest guest]

Journal of Viral Hepatitis

Volume 11 Issue 5 Page 448 - September 2004

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2893.2004.00524.x

Effects of ribavirin combined with interferon-2b on viral kinetics during

first 12 weeks of treatment in patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 1

and high baseline viral loads

M. Enomoto1, S. Nishiguchi1, M. Kohmoto1, A. Tamori1, D. Habu1, T. Takeda1,

S. Seki1 and S. Shiomi2

Summary. This study aimed to find how ribavirin increases viral

disappearance in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) of genotype 1 and

high baseline viral loads (>5.0 105 copies/mL) when given with interferon

(IFN). Using the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we

measured serum HCV in 20 patients during the first 12 weeks of therapy with

IFN-2b and ribavirin. Controls were 10 similar patients given IFN-2b alone.

IFN-2b was given at 6 MU daily for 2 weeks, and then three times weekly.

Ribavirin was given at 600 or 800 mg daily. Serum HCV RNA decreased rapidly

in the first phase, during the first 24 h of therapy (day 0), and more

slowly in the early second phase (days 1-14). The median decrease was by

1.41 and 0.078 log 10/day in these two phases in the combination therapy

group, and 0.90 and 0.081 log 10/day in the monotherapy group. The

difference between groups in the first phase was not significant (P = 0.24),

nor was that in the next phase (P = 0.68). Later in the second phase,

between days 14 and 84, the median decrease was larger in the combination

therapy group (0.030 log 10/day) than in the monotherapy group (0.015 log

10/day, P = 0.035). In patients with HCV genotype 1 and high viral loads,

the effects of ribavirin with IFN- appeared slowly, after the earliest days

of treatment. A long-term favourable outcome of combination therapy may be

associated with a rapid viral decline in this later phase of therapy.

[Guest guest]

Journal of Viral Hepatitis

Volume 11 Issue 5 Page 448 - September 2004

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2893.2004.00524.x

Effects of ribavirin combined with interferon-2b on viral kinetics during

first 12 weeks of treatment in patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 1

and high baseline viral loads

M. Enomoto1, S. Nishiguchi1, M. Kohmoto1, A. Tamori1, D. Habu1, T. Takeda1,

S. Seki1 and S. Shiomi2

Summary. This study aimed to find how ribavirin increases viral

disappearance in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) of genotype 1 and

high baseline viral loads (>5.0 105 copies/mL) when given with interferon

(IFN). Using the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we

measured serum HCV in 20 patients during the first 12 weeks of therapy with

IFN-2b and ribavirin. Controls were 10 similar patients given IFN-2b alone.

IFN-2b was given at 6 MU daily for 2 weeks, and then three times weekly.

Ribavirin was given at 600 or 800 mg daily. Serum HCV RNA decreased rapidly

in the first phase, during the first 24 h of therapy (day 0), and more

slowly in the early second phase (days 1-14). The median decrease was by

1.41 and 0.078 log 10/day in these two phases in the combination therapy

group, and 0.90 and 0.081 log 10/day in the monotherapy group. The

difference between groups in the first phase was not significant (P = 0.24),

nor was that in the next phase (P = 0.68). Later in the second phase,

between days 14 and 84, the median decrease was larger in the combination

therapy group (0.030 log 10/day) than in the monotherapy group (0.015 log

10/day, P = 0.035). In patients with HCV genotype 1 and high viral loads,

the effects of ribavirin with IFN- appeared slowly, after the earliest days

of treatment. A long-term favourable outcome of combination therapy may be

associated with a rapid viral decline in this later phase of therapy.

[Guest guest]

Journal of Viral Hepatitis

Volume 11 Issue 5 Page 448 - September 2004

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2893.2004.00524.x

Effects of ribavirin combined with interferon-2b on viral kinetics during

first 12 weeks of treatment in patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 1

and high baseline viral loads

M. Enomoto1, S. Nishiguchi1, M. Kohmoto1, A. Tamori1, D. Habu1, T. Takeda1,

S. Seki1 and S. Shiomi2

Summary. This study aimed to find how ribavirin increases viral

disappearance in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) of genotype 1 and

high baseline viral loads (>5.0 105 copies/mL) when given with interferon

(IFN). Using the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we

measured serum HCV in 20 patients during the first 12 weeks of therapy with

IFN-2b and ribavirin. Controls were 10 similar patients given IFN-2b alone.

IFN-2b was given at 6 MU daily for 2 weeks, and then three times weekly.

Ribavirin was given at 600 or 800 mg daily. Serum HCV RNA decreased rapidly

in the first phase, during the first 24 h of therapy (day 0), and more

slowly in the early second phase (days 1-14). The median decrease was by

1.41 and 0.078 log 10/day in these two phases in the combination therapy

group, and 0.90 and 0.081 log 10/day in the monotherapy group. The

difference between groups in the first phase was not significant (P = 0.24),

nor was that in the next phase (P = 0.68). Later in the second phase,

between days 14 and 84, the median decrease was larger in the combination

therapy group (0.030 log 10/day) than in the monotherapy group (0.015 log

10/day, P = 0.035). In patients with HCV genotype 1 and high viral loads,

the effects of ribavirin with IFN- appeared slowly, after the earliest days

of treatment. A long-term favourable outcome of combination therapy may be

associated with a rapid viral decline in this later phase of therapy.