Peginterferon α‐2b plus ribavirin compared with interferon α‐2b plus ribavirin for initial treatment of chronic hepatitis C in Saudi patients commonly infected with genotype 4

Abstract

Aim: Comparing the efficacy of peginterferon α‐2b plus ribavirin with interferon α ‐2b plus ribavirin in Saudi patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) commonly infected with genotype 4. Methods: A total of 96 patients with chronic HCV infection were randomly assigned to two treatment groups. Forty‐eight patients received once weekly 100 μg of peginterferon α‐2b plus ribavirin given orally 800 mg/day (peginterferon group). Another 48 patients received thrice weekly 3 million units of interferon α‐2b plus ribavirin 800 mg/day (interferon group). At the end of treatment (48 weeks) and sustained (72 weeks) biochemical and virologic responses were determined. Results: In the peginterferon group, 70.8% (34/48) patients attained both biochemical and virologic responses at the end of the treatment as against 52.1% (25/48) patients in the interferon group. (P=0.09 for both). Similarly, sustained biochemical and virologic responses in the peginterferon group were attained in 52.1% (25/48) and 43.8% (21/48) patients as against 43.8% (21/48) and 29.2% (14/48) patients in the interferon group, respectively (P=0.54 and 0.20, respectively). The sustained virologic response rates in patients with genotype 4 were 42.9% (12/28) in the peginterferon group and 32.3% (10/31) in the interferon group (P=0.43). Patients in peginterferon group had higher, although statistically not significant adverse reactions. Conclusions: Saudi patients with chronic HCV attained a higher, although statistically not significant sustained virologic response with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin compared with interferon plus ribavirin.