Low-dose Leukocyte Interferon-α Therapy in Dialysed Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C

Summary

Kidney failure is a contraindication to interferon therapy, and active chronic hepatitis is incompatible with kidney transplantation. Our study was aimed at investigating the activity and tolerability of leukocyte interferon-a in patients undergoing pro-transplant dialysis and suffering from chronic active hepatitis due to Hepatitis C virus infection.

Ten patients, with persistently high ALT levels, were treated with leukocyte interferon-a, at a dose of IMU three times weekly for one year. Viraemia, ALT levels and other blood and urine tests, hepatitis stage and drug tolerance were all monitored throughout the study and the six-month follow-up period.

After six months of treatment, two patients had continuing normalisation of ALT, negative HCV-RNA tests and normalisation of histological features (‘long-term responders’). Four patients relapsed; three did not respond to treatment; and one patient discontinued it because of intolerance. The four relapsing patients received a second cycle with the same interferon, at a dose of 3 MU three times weekly, with attainment, in one patient, of complete remittance after six months of follow-up.

Leukocyte interferon-a yielded an overall 30% therapeutic response in dialysedpatients with chronic hepatitis C. Its use is helpful in enabling dialysed patients to undergo transplantation.

Key Words::

• Chronic hepatitis C
• Dialysis
• Human leukocyte a-interferon
• Efficacy
• Tolerability