TY - JOUR
T1 - The treatment of chronic hepatitis C with peginterferon alfa-2a (40 kDa) plus ribavirin in haemodialysed patients awaiting renal transplant
AU - Rendina, Maria
AU - Schena, Antonio
AU - Castellaneta, Nicola Maurizio
AU - Losito, Francesco
AU - Amoruso, Anna Cinzia
AU - Stallone, Giovanni
AU - Schena, Francesco Paolo
AU - Leo, Alfredo Di
AU - Francavilla, Antonio
PY - 2007/5
Y1 - 2007/5
N2 - Background/Aims: We undertook a pilot study to investigate the efficacy and safety of peginterferon alfa-2a (40 kDa) plus ribavirin in haemodialysed chronic HCV patients awaiting renal transplant. Methods: Patients received peginterferon alfa-2a 135 μg/week plus ribavirin 200 mg/day for 24 or 48 weeks (genotype non-1 and 1, respectively). The dose of ribavirin was tailored according to plasma concentrations and to haemoglobin levels. Outcomes in treated patients were compared with those of a matched untreated control group. Results: Thirty-five patients received treatment, while 35 served as untreated controls. Thirty patients completed treatment; patients were withdrawn due to transplantation (n = 2), severe anaemia (n = 1), dermatitis (n = 1) and non-response (n = 1) resulting in a drop-out rate of 14%. Overall, 34/35 treated patients were HCV RNA negative at week 4 and had undetectable RNA at the end of treatment, compared with none of the untreated controls (ETR 97% vs 0%; p <0.001). Moreover, all achieved sustained virological response after 24 weeks of treatment-free follow-up versus no control patients (SVR 97% vs 0 %; p <0.001). Conclusions: In this study, we have shown for the first time in a large cohort of patients that HCV-patients on haemodialysis can be treated successfully with peginterferon alfa-2a (40 kDa) plus ribavirin.
AB - Background/Aims: We undertook a pilot study to investigate the efficacy and safety of peginterferon alfa-2a (40 kDa) plus ribavirin in haemodialysed chronic HCV patients awaiting renal transplant. Methods: Patients received peginterferon alfa-2a 135 μg/week plus ribavirin 200 mg/day for 24 or 48 weeks (genotype non-1 and 1, respectively). The dose of ribavirin was tailored according to plasma concentrations and to haemoglobin levels. Outcomes in treated patients were compared with those of a matched untreated control group. Results: Thirty-five patients received treatment, while 35 served as untreated controls. Thirty patients completed treatment; patients were withdrawn due to transplantation (n = 2), severe anaemia (n = 1), dermatitis (n = 1) and non-response (n = 1) resulting in a drop-out rate of 14%. Overall, 34/35 treated patients were HCV RNA negative at week 4 and had undetectable RNA at the end of treatment, compared with none of the untreated controls (ETR 97% vs 0%; p <0.001). Moreover, all achieved sustained virological response after 24 weeks of treatment-free follow-up versus no control patients (SVR 97% vs 0 %; p <0.001). Conclusions: In this study, we have shown for the first time in a large cohort of patients that HCV-patients on haemodialysis can be treated successfully with peginterferon alfa-2a (40 kDa) plus ribavirin.
KW - Haemodialysis
KW - HCV
KW - Hepatitis
KW - Kidney
KW - Peginterferon
KW - Ribavirin
KW - Transplant
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jhep.2006.12.016
DO - 10.1016/j.jhep.2006.12.016
M3 - Article
C2 - 17383045
AN - SCOPUS:34047153283
VL - 46
SP - 768
EP - 774
JO - Journal of Hepatology
JF - Journal of Hepatology
SN - 0168-8278
IS - 5
ER -