Efficacy and Effectiveness of PegInterferon and Ribavirin in Korean Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C

Efficacy and Effectiveness of Combination Therapy With Pegylated Interferon Alfa-2a and Ribavirin in Korean Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C

The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy and effectiveness of peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin therapy in Korean chronic hepatitis C patients.

A retrospective analysis of a prospective, multicenter, industry-sponsored, open-label, uncontrolled, community-based clinical trial of combination of peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin (Pegasys Expanded Access Program) conducted at 6 tertiary referral centers in Korea between 2003 and 2004 and a cohort of hepatitis C patients who were treated in a single tertiary referral hospital (Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea) between 2004 and 2008

Inclusion Criteria: all of below

• adults aged 18-70 years
• serum anti-HCV antibody (+)
• HCV RNA detectable by PCR
• compensated liver disease (Child-Pugh class A)

Exclusion Criteria: any of below

• HCV genotype other than 1, 2, or 3
• acute hepatitis C
• decompensated cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma
• other liver disease such as hepatitis A or B, or autoimmune hepatitis
• HIV Ab(+)
• severe depression or other psychiatric disease
• previous organ transplantation
• absolute neutrophil count (ANC) < 1,000 cells/mm3 or platelet count < 75,000 cells/mm3, or hemoglobin (Hb) < 13 g/dL for men, <12 g/dL for women