Chronic Hepatitis C Treated with Peginterferon alfa plus Ribavirin in Clinical Practice

• Autor(a) principal: Velosa, J
• Data de Publicação: 2011
• Outros Autores: Serejo, F, Bana, T, Redondo, I, Simão, A, Vale, AM, Pires, S, Macedo, G, Marinho, R, Peixe, P, Sarmento, J, Matos, L, Calinas, F, Carvalho, A, Figueiredo, A
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.23/549
• topic: Hepacivirus; Hepatitis C Crónica; Interferon-alpha; Ribavirina

From 1907 patients with chronic hepatitis C proposed for treatment, we analysed 1380 (1124 naive and 256 treatment-experienced) with complete follow-up. Genotype and HCV RNA quantification were assayed by commercial tests. Viremia was considered high if >800,000IU/mL, and low if <400,000IU/mL. Liver fibrosis was staged in 614 patients. RESULTS: Genotype 1 was the most frequent (60%), followed by 3 (25%), 4 (9%) and 2 (2%); 3.2% had other or unclassified genotype. Genotype 1 was more prevalent in central Portugal and genotype 4 in the south. Viremia was =800,000IU/mL in 54.6% and <400,000IU/mL in 34.6% of the patients, particularly in genotype 2 (p<0.03) and 4 (p<0.001). Genotype non-1 had a significantly lower viral load (p=0.004). Mild or moderate fibrosis was present in 71.7% and bridging fibrosis or cirrhosis in 28.3%, with no differences among genotypes. Treatment was discontinued in 19.8%. SVR was achieved in 55.3% of naive and 36.3% of re-treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: Standard treatment of chronic hepatitis C in real-life achieves similar results obtained in clinical trials, despite differences of demographic and viral parameters.