Noor Muhammad, Mohammad Ayub Jan, Noor Rahman.
Treatment response of Hepatitis C patients to combination therapy of Interferon plus Ribavirin.
J Postgrad Med Inst Jan ;18(4):563-8.

Objective: To evaluate effectiveness and safety of 24 weeks combination treatment with Interferon and Ribavirin as initial therapy of chronic hepatitis C patients. Material and Methods: This study was conducted in Medical unit DHQ Hospital Daggar District Buner from January 1999 to June 2002. Three hundreds and fifty consecutive non cirrhotic, chronic hepatitis C patients (Male=176 Female=174) with positive HCV anti bodies by 311 generation ELISA, positive HCV RNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and raised serum amino transferase (ALT) were prospectively evaluated and treated with combination of interferon alfa 2-b three million units subcutaneously three injection weekly and ribavirin 800-1200 mg orally daily for 24 weeks and followed for another 6 months. The HCV RNA was checked after 12 weeks and then at the end of the treatment. The ALT level was checked after 04 weeks, then at 12 weeks, and at the end of the treatment. End of the treatment viral response, sustained viral response and side effects of therapy were noted. Results: Normal ALT was observed in 260 (74.2%) of the patients after 01 month of treatment and 310 (88.5%) of the patients at the end of 03 months. HCR RNA was not detectable in 275 (78.5%) of the patients at the end of 03 months (12 weeks of treatment). At the end of 24 weeks of treatment the HCV RNA was not detectable in 298 (85.14%) patients. Two hundred and seventy six (78.85%) of the patients had persistently normal ALT and HCV RNA in the six months follow up after treatment. Conclusion: 1) Combination treatment of interferon plus ribavirin for 24 weeks is effective in terms of biochemical and virological response. 2) The side effects are quite tolerable and managable.

PakMediNet -Pakistan's largest Database of Pakistani Medical Journals - http://www.pakmedinet.com