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Side effects of combination therapy of peginterferon and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis-C

Yasuji Arase1, Fumitaka Suzuki, Yoshiyuki Suzuki

  • 1Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo. es9y-ars@asahi-net.or.jp

Internal Medicine (Tokyo, Japan)
|November 21, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C showed higher side effects in older patients and those with diabetes. Adherence to medication significantly impacts sustained viral response (SVR) in patients who discontinue treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology
  • Pharmacology
  • Clinical Medicine

Background:

  • Chronic hepatitis C is a significant global health concern.
  • Peginterferon and ribavirin combination therapy has been a standard treatment for chronic hepatitis C.
  • Understanding treatment-related side effects is crucial for optimizing patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the side effects of peginterferon and ribavirin combination therapy in Japanese patients with chronic hepatitis C.
  • To identify factors associated with treatment discontinuation due to side effects.
  • To evaluate the impact of medication adherence on sustained viral response (SVR) in patients who discontinued therapy.

Main Methods:

  • A non-randomized prospective cohort study enrolled 612 Japanese patients with chronic hepatitis C (HCV genotype 1b).
  • Patients were monitored for treatment-related side effects leading to discontinuation.
  • Medication adherence was assessed by calculating the percentage of each drug taken during treatment.

Main Results:

  • The cumulative discontinuation rate due to side effects was 14.9% at one year.
  • Older patients (>= 65 years) and those with diabetes showed a significantly higher discontinuation rate.
  • In the discontinuation group, patients with >= 60% adherence had a higher SVR (31%) compared to those with < 60% adherence (7.7%).

Conclusions:

  • Patient age and comorbidities like diabetes are key factors influencing the safety of combination therapy.
  • Higher medication adherence (> 60%) is associated with improved SVR in patients who discontinue treatment due to side effects.
Abstract

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