0000000000007082
AUTHOR
Giuseppa Di Gaetano
Leucocyte Interferon-alpha for Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Intolerant to Other alpha-Interferons
Background: Alpha-interferon (α-IFN) is the treatment of choice for chronic hepatitis C but most patients experience adverse effects which sometimes lead to the suspension of therapy. Recently, higher doses of α-IFN or prolonged therapy have increased the number of cases of intolerance. Study Design: In this open study we evaluated the efficacy and safety of leucocyte interferon-alpha (IFNα) [6MU three times a week] in 43 patients with chronic hepatitis C who had been intolerant to previous treatment courses with recombinant or lymphoblastoid IFNα. All patients were treated for 6 months and followed-up for an additional 6 months. End of treatment responders were patients in whom hepatitis C…
Intravenous natural beta-interferon in white patients with chronic hepatitis C who are nonresponders to alpha-interferon.
Objectives: α-Interferons (α-IFN) have been shown to be effective in the treatment of chronic viral C hepatitis, but their efficacy remains unsatisfactory. Recently natural β-interferon (β-IFN) administered by intravenous infusion has been used successfully. Methods: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravenous β-IFN administration we treated 20 patients with histologically proven chronic hepatitis C who were nonresponders to at least two previous courses of α-IFN treatment. All patients received 6 million units (MU) of natural human fibroblast β-IFN by drip infusion, 6 times per wk for 8 wk and were followed up for 6 months after suspension of treatment. Results: Five patients (25%) …