Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 4 and Response to Combination Therapy with Interferon-α2b plus Ribavirin
Authors: Savino Bruno, Andrea Crosignani, Giovanni Battista Pinzello
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2000)

Letters5 December 2000Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 4 and Response to Combination Therapy with Interferon-α2b plus RibavirinSavino Bruno, MD, Andrea Crosignani, MD, and Giovanni Battista Pinzello, MDSavino Bruno, MDS. Paolo University of Milan Italy; Milan 20142, Italy (Bruno, Crosignani)Liver Unit Crespi Niguarda Hospital Milan; Milan 20100, Italy (Pinzello)Search for more papers by this author, Andrea Crosignani, MDS. Paolo University of Milan Italy; Milan 20142, Italy (Bruno, Crosignani)Liver Unit Crespi Niguarda Hospital Milan; Milan 20100, Italy (Pinzello)Search for more papers by this author, and Giovanni Battista Pinzello, MDS. Paolo University of Milan Italy; Milan 20142, Italy (Bruno, Crosignani)Liver Unit Crespi Niguarda Hospital Milan; Milan 20100, Italy (Pinzello)Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-133-11-200012050-00025 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Zylberberg and colleagues (1) reported on the poor response rate in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 4. They suggest that combination therapy with ribavirin should be used in this patient population.Between June 1996 and December 1998 (when ribavirin became available for compassionate use), we administered combination therapy (interferon-α2b, 5 to 6 million U three times weekly, plus ribavirin, 1.0 to 1.2 g/d, for 48 weeks) to 18 patients infected with HCV genotype 4 (genotype was determined by Inno-Lipa, Innogenetics, Zwijnarde, Belgium). Sixteen patients were men and 2 were women; the mean age was ...References1. Zylberberg H, Chaix ML, Brechot C. Infection with hepatitis C virus genotype 4 is associated with a poor response to interferon-α [Letter]. Ann Intern Med. 2000;132:845-6. LinkGoogle Scholar2. el-Zayadi A, Selim O, Haddad S, Simmonds P, Hamdy H, Badran HM, et al . Combination treatment of interferon α-2b and ribavirin in comparison to interferon monotherapy in treatment of chronic hepatitis C genotype 4 patients. Ital J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 1999;31:472-5. MedlineGoogle Scholar3. Poynard T, Marcellin P, Lee SS, Niederau C, Minuk GS, Ideo G, et al . Randomised trial of interferon alpha2b plus ribavirin for 48 weeks or for 24 weeks versus interferon alpha2b plus placebo for 48 weeks for treatment of chronic infection with hepatitis C virus. International Hepatitis Interventional Therapy Group (IHIT). Lancet. 1998;352:1426-32. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. McHutchison JG, Gordon SC, Schiff ER, Shiffman ML, Lee WM, Rustgi VK, et al . Interferon alfa-2b alone or in combination with ribavirin as initial treatment for chronic hepatitis C. Hepatitis Interventional Therapy Group. N Engl J Med. 1998;339:1485-92. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Savino Bruno, MD; Andrea Crosignani, MD; Giovanni Battista Pinzello, MDAffiliations: S. Paolo University of Milan Italy; Milan 20142, Italy (Bruno, Crosignani)Liver Unit Crespi Niguarda Hospital Milan; Milan 20100, Italy (Pinzello) PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoInfection with Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 4 Is Associated with a Poor Response to Interferon-α Hervé Zylberberg , M. L. Chaix , and Christian Bréchot Metrics Cited byPredictors of sustained virological response to a 48-week course of pegylated interferon alfa-2a and ribavirin in patients infected with hepatitis C virus genotype 4Individualization of antiviral treatment regimens for chronic hepatitis CManagement of hepatitis C virus genotype 4Virological characteristics of hepatitis C virus infection in HIV-infected individuals with chronic hepatitis C: implications for treatment 5 December 2000Volume 133, Issue 11Page: 922-923KeywordsCirrhosisDrugsHIV infectionsHepatitis C virusInfectious hepatitisInterferons ePublished: 5 December 2000 Issue Published: 5 December 2000 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2000 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...