Authors
Michael P Manns, John G McHutchison, Stuart C Gordon, Vinod K Rustgi, Mitchell Shiffman, Robert Reindollar, Zachary D Goodman, Kenneth Koury, Mei-Hsiu Ling, Janice K Albrecht
Publication date
2001/9/22
Journal
The Lancet
Volume
358
Issue
9286
Pages
958-965
Publisher
Elsevier
Description
Background
A sustained virological response (SVR) rate of 41% has been achieved with interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin therapy of chronic hepatitis C. In this randomised trial, peginterferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin was compared with interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin.
Methods
1530 patients with chronic hepatitis C were assigned interferon alfa-2b (3 MU subcutaneously three times per week) plus ribavirin 1000–1200 mg/day orally, peginterferon alfa-2b 15 μg/kg each week plus 800 mg/day ribavirin, or peginterferon alfa-2b 1·5 μg/kg per week for 4 weeks then 0·5 μg/kg per week plus ribavirin 1000–1200 mg/day for 48 weeks. The primary endpoint was the SVR rate (undetectable hepatitis C virus [HCV] RNA in serum at 24-week follow-up). Analyses were based on patients who received at least one dose of study medication.
Findings
The SVR rate was significantly higher (p=0·01 for both comparisons) in the higher-dose …
Total citations
Scholar articles
MP Manns, JG McHutchison, SC Gordon, VK Rustgi… - The Lancet, 2001