0000000000736269
AUTHOR
Albrecht Stoehr
Predictive factors for sustained virological response after treatment with pegylated interferon α-2a and ribavirin in patients infected with HCV genotypes 2 and 3.
BackgroundPrevious trials have often defined genotype 2 and 3 patients as an "easy to treat" group and guidelines recommend similar management.AimsThe present study looks for differences between the two genotypes and analyzes predictive factors for SVR.MethodsProspective, community-based cohort study involving 421 physicians throughout Germany. The analysis includes 2,347 patients with untreated chronic HCV genotype 2 (n = 391) and 3 (n = 1,956) infection treated with PEG-IFN α-2a plus ribavirin between August 2007 and July 2012.ResultsWhen compared with genotype 2 patients, those with genotype 3 were younger, had a shorter duration of infection, lower values of total cholesterol, LDL chole…
Treatment Extension of Pegylated Interferon Alpha and Ribavirin Does Not Improve SVR in Patients with Genotypes 2/3 without Rapid Virological Response (OPTEX Trial): A Prospective, Randomized, Two-Arm, Multicentre Phase IV Clinical Trial
UNLABELLED Although sofosbuvir has been approved for patients with genotypes 2/3 (G2/3), many parts of the world still consider pegylated Interferon alpha (P) and ribavirin (R) as standard of care for G2/3. Patients with rapid virological response (RVR) show response rates >80%. However, SVR (sustained virological response) in non-RVR patients is not satisfactory. Longer treatment duration may be required but evidence from prospective trials are lacking. A total of 1006 chronic HCV genotype 2/3 patients treated with P/R were recruited into a German HepNet multicenter screening registry. Of those, only 226 patients were still HCV RNA positive at week 4 (non-RVR). Non-RVR patients with ongoin…