Tolerability key to success of hepatitis C treatment

Tolerability, particularly early on in the treatment of hepatitis C, is important to consider because a patient who is unable to complete a full course of therapy cannot achieve a successful outcome.

A study was conducted to know whether patients intolerant to one form of pegylated interferon may be more tolerant to another form.

Roche announced the results of the study demonstrating that 100 percent of patients who discontinued treatment with peginterferon alfa-2b and ribavirin due to adverse events within the first 12 weeks, were able to complete 12 weeks of treatment with peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin.

Furthermore, 92 percent of these patients were able to go on and complete a full course of treatment with Roche’s peginterferon alfa-2a.

The data were presented at the recent 38th annual Digestive Disease Week (DDW) conference.

“These results indicate patients who have discontinued treatment with peginterferon alfa-2b due to symptoms such as depression, fatigue and flu-like symptoms, may be able to complete 12 weeks of peginterferon alfa-2a, and potentially go on to complete a full course of therapy,” said Dr. Vinod Rustgi, clinical professor of medicine and surgery at Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C.

Treatment is most successful when there is close cooperation between the doctor and the patient.

Hepatitis C is a blood-borne infectious disease of the liver and a leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer and requires liver transplants.