Interferon-α2b Therapy in Low-Activity Hepatitis C: A Pilot Study

I. Nordøy Medical Dept. A and Dept. of Pathology, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Ullevål Hospital, Oslo, Norway; National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology and Dept. of Clinical Chemistry, Aalborg Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology S, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Medical Dept. A, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

H. B. Krarup Medical Dept. A and Dept. of Pathology, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Ullevål Hospital, Oslo, Norway; National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology and Dept. of Clinical Chemistry, Aalborg Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology S, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Medical Dept. A, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

H. Bell Medical Dept. A and Dept. of Pathology, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Ullevål Hospital, Oslo, Norway; National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology and Dept. of Clinical Chemistry, Aalborg Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology S, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Medical Dept. A, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

P. B. Christensen Medical Dept. A and Dept. of Pathology, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Ullevål Hospital, Oslo, Norway; National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology and Dept. of Clinical Chemistry, Aalborg Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology S, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Medical Dept. A, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

K. Elgjo Medical Dept. A and Dept. of Pathology, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Ullevål Hospital, Oslo, Norway; National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology and Dept. of Clinical Chemistry, Aalborg Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology S, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Medical Dept. A, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

B. Von Der Lippe Medical Dept. A and Dept. of Pathology, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Ullevål Hospital, Oslo, Norway; National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology and Dept. of Clinical Chemistry, Aalborg Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology S, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Medical Dept. A, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

O. Schaffalitzky De Muckadell Medical Dept. A and Dept. of Pathology, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Ullevål Hospital, Oslo, Norway; National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology and Dept. of Clinical Chemistry, Aalborg Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology S, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Medical Dept. A, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

A. Mæland Medical Dept. A and Dept. of Pathology, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Ullevål Hospital, Oslo, Norway; National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology and Dept. of Clinical Chemistry, Aalborg Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology S, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Medical Dept. A, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

H. Ring Larsen Medical Dept. A and Dept. of Pathology, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Ullevål Hospital, Oslo, Norway; National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology and Dept. of Clinical Chemistry, Aalborg Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology S, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Medical Dept. A, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

H. H. Samdal Medical Dept. A and Dept. of Pathology, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Ullevål Hospital, Oslo, Norway; National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology and Dept. of Clinical Chemistry, Aalborg Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology S, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Medical Dept. A, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

P. Simmonds Medical Dept. A and Dept. of Pathology, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Ullevål Hospital, Oslo, Norway; National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology and Dept. of Clinical Chemistry, Aalborg Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology S, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Medical Dept. A, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

K. Skaug Medical Dept. A and Dept. of Pathology, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Ullevål Hospital, Oslo, Norway; National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology and Dept. of Clinical Chemistry, Aalborg Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology S, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Medical Dept. A, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

U. Tage Jensen Medical Dept. A and Dept. of Pathology, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Ullevål Hospital, Oslo, Norway; National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology and Dept. of Clinical Chemistry, Aalborg Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology S, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Medical Dept. A, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

E. Schrumpf Medical Dept. A and Dept. of Pathology, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Medical Dept., Ullevål Hospital, Oslo, Norway; National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology and Dept. of Clinical Chemistry, Aalborg Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Dept. of Medical Gastroenterology S, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Medical Dept. A, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; Dept. of Medical Microbiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK

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Abstract

Background: Many patients with chronic hepatitis C have long periods of normal or near-normal liver enzyme levels, even though histologic alterations have been confirmed. The recommendation today is not to treat this patient group. Methods: In a pilot study 23 hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA-positive patients with alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) levels less than 1.5 times upper normal limits for at least 6 months on more than three occasions and with histologic liver abnormalities compatible with chronic hepatitis C were treated with 3 MU of interferon-α2b three times a week for 6 months. Results: Nine patients (39%) became HCV RNA-negative in serum during treatment, but only two (8.7%) remained so after 6 months' follow-up. Significantly more patients with genotype other than type 1 became HCV RNA-negative than patients with genotype 1 during treatment (P = 0.005). Conclusions: Patients with low-activity chronic hepatitis C have a response to interferon-alpha treatment similar to that of patients with increased ALAT levels. Genotype seems to influence the rate of response.

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Interferon-α2b Therapy in Low-Activity Hepatitis C: A Pilot Study

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Interferon-α2b Therapy in Low-Activity Hepatitis C: A Pilot Study

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