Chronic hepatitis C responds poorly to combination therapy in chronic hepatis B carriers
Senturk, H.; Tahan, V.; Canbakan, B.; Uraz, S.; Ulger, Y.; Ozaras, R.; Tabak, F.; Mert, A.; Ozbay, G.
Netherlands Journal of Medicine 66(5): 191-195
2008
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-2977 PMID: 18490796 Document Number: 616473
Background: The effect of conventional interferon-based therapy of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) dual infection is controversial. Yet, no studies have been carried out into pegylated interferon treatment for chronic HBV/HCV coinfection. We aimed to evaluate the response rate and side effects of conventional or pegylated interferon combined with ribavirin on chronic HBV/HCV coinfection therapy.Methods: The study included 36 chronic hepatitis patients (M/F: 28/8, mean age 47 12 years) who were positive for HBsAg and anti-HCV. They were tested for the presence of HBV-DNA by hybridisation assay, and the samples giving negative results were retested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All patients were tested for HCV-RNA using PCR, and the HCV genotype was determined.Results: Nineteen patients were given standard interferon either alone or in combination with ribavirin, whereas 17 were given pegylated interferon and ribavirin combination therapy. None of the patients had HBV-DNA positivity; however, all had HCV-RNA detectable by PCR. All the patients had HCV genotype 1b. The mean alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels were 118 +/- 65 U/l and 90 +/- 95 U/l respectively. Five patients in each group discontinued the treatment due to side effects. Only two patients (one from each group) reached sustained virological response.Conclusion: Neither pegylated nor conventional interferon based regimes were effective for HBV/HCV coinfection, in which the dominant virus was HCV. Pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy was not superior to conventional interferon based regimes in the treatment of HBV/HCV coinfection.