Benefit of weight bosed dosoges of Ribavirin (RBV) in combinotion with Peg-lnterferon (PeglFN) a2a in naive patients with HCV2 and HCV3: results of an ltalian Randomized Controlled Triol, the WRITE study

Individualized treatment with combination of Peg-interferon alpha 2b and ribavirin in patients with HCV genotype 3

Background & Aims: The benefit of individualizing treatment for patients with genotype 3 HCV infection on the basis of viral clearance at week 4 (wk4-R) has not been firmly established. Methods: Four hundred and fourteen patients received Peginterferon alpha-2b plus 1000–1200 mg of ribavirin daily according with body weight > or <75 kg. Patients were randomized to standard 24 weeks (Std24) or to a 12 or 36 weeks variable treatment duration (Var12/36). In the variable treatment arm, patients with or without wk4-R were allocated to either 12 or 36 weeks duration. Results: At treatment week 4, HCV RNA was undetectable in 262 patients (63.3%), 136 in the Std24, and 126 in the Var12/36 group (p …

Early discontinuation of ribavirin in HCV-2 and HCV-3 patients responding to Peg-interferon alpha-2° and ribavirin

SUMMARY. Guidelines for the treatment of patients infected with hepatitis C virus of genotypes 2 and 3 (HCV-2 and HCV-3, respectively) recommend a 24-week course of Peginterferon (Peg-IFN) alpha-2a combined with ribavirin, despite 50% of patients in registration trials attaining a sustained virologic response (SVR) following Peg-IFN alpha-2a monotherapy. The aim of this study was to delineate patient characteristics that might help to identify individuals likely to benefit from ribavirin discontinuation. One hundred and forty-four HCV-2- and HCV-3-infected patients initiated Peg-IFN alpha-2a (180 lg ⁄ week) and ribavirin (1000 or 1200 mg⁄ day); those with viral clearance at week 4 were rand…

Extended duration of therapy with peginterferon alpha 2b and weight based ribavirin in HCV patients with genotype 3 infection