Clin Mol Hepatol.  2015 Jun;21(2):125-130. 10.3350/cmh.2015.21.2.125.

Highly effective peginterferon alpha-2a plus ribavirin combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C in hemophilia in Korea

• Yang SY
• Lee HW
• Lee YJ
• Park SJ
• Yoo KY
• Kim HJ

• KMID: 2164362
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3350/cmh.2015.21.2.125

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is a major comorbidity in patients with hemophilia. However, there are no published data on the efficacy of antiviral therapy in Korea. We assessed the safety and efficacy of combination therapy with peginterferon alpha-2a plus ribavirin for CHC in hemophilia.
METHODS
Patients (n=115) were enrolled between March 2007 and December 2008. Seventy-seven patients were genotype 1 or 6, and 38 patients were genotype 2 or 3. We evaluated rapid virologic responses (RVRs), early virologic response (EVRs), end-of-treatment response (ETRs), sustained virologic response (SVRs), and relapses. Safety evaluations included adverse events and laboratory tests.
RESULTS
Eleven patients were excluded from the study because they had been treated previously. Among the remaining 104 treatment-naive patients, RVR was achieved in 64 (60.6%), ETR was achieved in 95 (91.3%), and SVR was achieved in 89 (85.6%). Relapse occurred in eight patients (8.9%). Common adverse events were hair loss (56.7%) and headache (51.0%). Common hematologic adverse events were neutropenia (22.1%), anemia (27.9%), and thrombocytopenia (3.8%). However, there were no serious adverse events such as bleeding. RVR was the only predictor of SVR in multivariate analysis.
CONCLUSIONS
Peginterferon alpha-2a plus ribavirin combination treatment produced a favorable response rate in CHC patients with hemophilia without serious adverse events.

Keyword

Chronic hepatitis C; Hemophilia; Peginterferon; Ribavirin

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Antiviral Agents/adverse effects/*therapeutic use
Drug Therapy, Combination
Fatigue/etiology
Female
Genotype
Headache/etiology
Hemophilia A/*complications
Hepacivirus/genetics
Hepatitis C, Chronic/complications/*drug therapy/virology
Humans
Interferon-alpha/adverse effects/*therapeutic use
Liver/pathology
Male
Middle Aged
Neutropenia/etiology
Polyethylene Glycols/adverse effects/*therapeutic use
RNA, Viral/blood
Recombinant Proteins/adverse effects/therapeutic use
Recurrence
Republic of Korea
Ribavirin/adverse effects/*therapeutic use
Treatment Outcome
Antiviral Agents
Interferon-alpha
RNA, Viral
Recombinant Proteins
Polyethylene Glycols
Ribavirin