Interferon treatment in children with chronic hepatitis C: long-lasting remission in responders, and risk for disease progression in non-responders.
Dig Liver Dis
; 37(5): 336-41, 2005 May.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-15843083
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Large interferon-based therapeutic trials are still lacking in children with hepatitis C and the long-term safety and efficacy of interferon is unknown. This study describes the outcome of hepatitis C in 43 children enrolled in an open-label interferon trial, and were followed up to 66 months after stopping treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients received interferon alfa2a (5MU/m(2)) thrice weekly for 6 months; children with genotype 1b received 3MU/m(2) thrice weekly for 6 additional months. RESULTS: Nine children discontinued interferon for adverse events and three were not compliant to treatment. Eight (19%, intention to treat analysis), including 2/20 (10%) with genotype 1b and 6/12 (50%) with genotypes 2 or 3, were sustained responders 12 months after stopping therapy. During further follow-up (mean+/-S.D.: 44.7+/-14.6 months), response was maintained; two non-responders cleared viremia, while a young boy progressed to cirrhosis. CONCLUSIONS: Small sample size and therapy withdrawal are the major limitations in the interpretation of our results. Nevertheless, our data, suggesting that response to interferon in children with hepatitis C is genotype-related and stable, agree with the results of large studies in adults. The outcome in non-responders was variable, including persistence of viremia and mild-moderate cytolysis (most cases), progression to cirrhosis, or eventual sustained viremia clearance.
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Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Antivirales
/
Interferón-alfa
/
Hepatitis C Crónica
Tipo de estudio:
Etiology_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Adolescent
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Dig Liver Dis
Asunto de la revista:
GASTROENTEROLOGIA
Año:
2005
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Italia
Pais de publicación:
Países Bajos