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Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, March 2005, p. 1135-1138, Vol. 49, No. 3
0066-4804/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AAC.49.3.1135-1138.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Alpha Interferon and Ribavirin Combination Therapy of Chronic Hepatitis D

Sabahattin Kaymakoglu,1* Cetin Karaca,1 Kadir Demir,1 Sule Poturoglu,1 Ahmet Danalioglu,1 Selim Badur,2 Murvet Bozaci,2 Fatih Besisik,1 Yilmaz Cakaloglu,1 and Atilla Okten1

Department of Gastroenterohepatology,1 Virology and Immunology Unit, Department of Microbiology, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey2

Received 18 March 2004/ Returned for modification 27 May 2004/ Accepted 11 November 2004

The success of alpha interferon (IFN-{alpha}) monotherapy for the treatment of chronic hepatitis D is very limited. In this study, the efficacy of IFN-{alpha} and ribavirin combination therapy for chronic hepatitis D was investigated. Nineteen patients (15 males; mean age ± standard deviation, 36.8 ± 12.8 years) with chronic hepatitis D who were treated with IFN-{alpha}2b (10 million U, three times/week, subcutaneously) and ribavirin (1,000 to 1,200 mg/day, orally) for 24 months were studied. All patients had compensated liver disease (15 were precirrhotic), elevated transaminase levels, and hepatitis D virus RNA positivity at baseline. Genotypic analyses revealed hepatitis D virus genotype I and hepatitis B virus genotype D. All patients completed the 24 months of treatment and at least 6 months (7 to 19 months) of a follow-up period. Biochemical responses were observed in eight patients (42.1%) at the end of treatment and in seven patients (36.8%) at the end of follow-up. Eight patients (42.1%) at the end of treatment and four patients (21%) at the end of follow-up had virological responses. In conclusion, combination treatment of IFN-{alpha} and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis D is not able to induce virological responses at a sufficient rate, despite its partial effectiveness in improving biochemical responses, and is not superior to IFN-{alpha} monotherapy.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Gastroenterohepatology, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Capa, 34390, Istanbul, Turkey. Phone: (90) 212 4142000, ext. 31318. Fax: (90) 212 6312257. E-mail: kaymakoglus{at}hotmail.com.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, March 2005, p. 1135-1138, Vol. 49, No. 3
0066-4804/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AAC.49.3.1135-1138.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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