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Pegylated interferon alfa and ribavirin for 14 versus 24 weeks in patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 2 or 3 and rapid virological response

Dalgard, Olav ; Bjoro, Kristian ; Ring-Larsen, Helmer ; Bjornsson, Einar ; Holberg-Petersen, Mona ; Skovlund, Eva ; Reichard, Olle ; Myrvang, Bjorn ; Sundelof, Bo and Ritland, Stale , et al. (2008) In Hepatology 47(1). p.35-42
Abstract
A recent nonrandomized pilot trial showed that hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients with genotype 2/3 and rapid virological response (RVR) had a 90% sustained virological response (SVR) rate after 14 weeks of treatment. We aimed to assess this concept in a randomized controlled trial. In the trial, 428 treatment-naive HCV RNA-positive patients with genotype 2 or 3 were enrolled. Patients with RVR were randomized to 14 (group A) or 24 (group B) weeks of treatment. Patients were treated with pegylated interferon alpha-26 (1.5 mu g/kg) subcutaneously weekly and ribavirin (800-1400 mg) orally daily. The noninferiority margin was set to be 10% between the two groups with a one-sided 2.5% significance level. RVR was obtained in 302 of 428 (71%), and... (More)
A recent nonrandomized pilot trial showed that hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients with genotype 2/3 and rapid virological response (RVR) had a 90% sustained virological response (SVR) rate after 14 weeks of treatment. We aimed to assess this concept in a randomized controlled trial. In the trial, 428 treatment-naive HCV RNA-positive patients with genotype 2 or 3 were enrolled. Patients with RVR were randomized to 14 (group A) or 24 (group B) weeks of treatment. Patients were treated with pegylated interferon alpha-26 (1.5 mu g/kg) subcutaneously weekly and ribavirin (800-1400 mg) orally daily. The noninferiority margin was set to be 10% between the two groups with a one-sided 2.5% significance level. RVR was obtained in 302 of 428 (71%), and 298 of these were randomized to group A (n = 148) or group B (n = 150). In the intention-to-treat analysis, SVR rates were 120 of 148 (81.1%) in group A and 136 of 150 (90.7%) in group B (difference, 9.6%; 95% confidence interval, 1.7-17.7). Among patients with an HCV RNA test 24 weeks after the end of treatment, 120 of 139 (86.3%) patients in group A achieved SVR compared with 136 of 146 (93.2%) in group B (difference, 6.9%; 95% confidence interval, -0.1 to + 13.9). Conclusion: We cannot formally claim that 14 weeks of treatment is noninferior to 24 weeks of treatment. However, the SVR rate after 14 weeks of treatment is high, and although longer treatment may give slightly better SVR, we believe economical savings and fewer side effects make it rational to treat patients with genotype 2 or 3 and RVR for only 14 weeks. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Hepatology
volume
47
issue
1
pages
35 - 42
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • wos:000252143200009
  • scopus:38649090068
  • pmid:17975791
ISSN
1527-3350
DOI
10.1002/hep.21975
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Emergency medicine/Medicine/Surgery (013240200)
id
caf6d166-ea7a-458f-a4da-688ebf192b12 (old id 1200277)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:02:20
date last changed
2022-03-21 21:48:56
@article{caf6d166-ea7a-458f-a4da-688ebf192b12,
  abstract     = {{A recent nonrandomized pilot trial showed that hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients with genotype 2/3 and rapid virological response (RVR) had a 90% sustained virological response (SVR) rate after 14 weeks of treatment. We aimed to assess this concept in a randomized controlled trial. In the trial, 428 treatment-naive HCV RNA-positive patients with genotype 2 or 3 were enrolled. Patients with RVR were randomized to 14 (group A) or 24 (group B) weeks of treatment. Patients were treated with pegylated interferon alpha-26 (1.5 mu g/kg) subcutaneously weekly and ribavirin (800-1400 mg) orally daily. The noninferiority margin was set to be 10% between the two groups with a one-sided 2.5% significance level. RVR was obtained in 302 of 428 (71%), and 298 of these were randomized to group A (n = 148) or group B (n = 150). In the intention-to-treat analysis, SVR rates were 120 of 148 (81.1%) in group A and 136 of 150 (90.7%) in group B (difference, 9.6%; 95% confidence interval, 1.7-17.7). Among patients with an HCV RNA test 24 weeks after the end of treatment, 120 of 139 (86.3%) patients in group A achieved SVR compared with 136 of 146 (93.2%) in group B (difference, 6.9%; 95% confidence interval, -0.1 to + 13.9). Conclusion: We cannot formally claim that 14 weeks of treatment is noninferior to 24 weeks of treatment. However, the SVR rate after 14 weeks of treatment is high, and although longer treatment may give slightly better SVR, we believe economical savings and fewer side effects make it rational to treat patients with genotype 2 or 3 and RVR for only 14 weeks.}},
  author       = {{Dalgard, Olav and Bjoro, Kristian and Ring-Larsen, Helmer and Bjornsson, Einar and Holberg-Petersen, Mona and Skovlund, Eva and Reichard, Olle and Myrvang, Bjorn and Sundelof, Bo and Ritland, Stale and Hellum, Kjell and Fryden, Aril and Florholmen, Jon and Verbaan, Hans}},
  issn         = {{1527-3350}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{35--42}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{Hepatology}},
  title        = {{Pegylated interferon alfa and ribavirin for 14 versus 24 weeks in patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 2 or 3 and rapid virological response}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/hep.21975}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/hep.21975}},
  volume       = {{47}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}