Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to two treatment arms. In the standard treatment group (A1), patients were treated for 24 weeks irrespective of the HCV RNA status at week 4 with Peg-interferon alfa-2b at a dose of 1.5 mcg per kilogram of body weight weekly in combination with oral ribavirin administered at a dose of 1000 mg/day for patients with a weight <75 kg or 1200 mg/day for those with a weight of ≥75 kg. Patients enrolled in Arm A1 will be treated for standard 24 weeks duration of treatment with standard dosages of PegInterferon alpha 2b and weight-based dosages of ribavirin.

In the variable treatment group, patients with a virologic response at week 4 will receive treatment for 12 weeks and those without a virologic response at 4 weeks treatment for 36 weeks. Patients without RVR will be treated for 24 or 36 weeks and labelled (B1I) or (B1II, respectively Intervention: different durations of treatment for patients without RVR

B 1 I or II: Experimental

variable duration of treatment group according with RVR. In case of RVR present patients will be treated for 12 weeks. Patients without RVR will be treated for 24 (B1I) or 36 (B1II)weeks: different duration of treatment for patients without RVR

The primary measure of efficacy will be HCV RNA not detectable in the serum 24 weeks after the end of therapy (SVR). In addition, virological response at the end of treatment and relapse rates will be calculated for each groups. Two analyses will be performed: 1) intention-to-treat analysis; 2) per-protocol analysis.