Effectiveness of interferon plus ribavirin combination in the treatment of naive patients with hepatitis C virus type 5.: A French multicentre retrospective study

Aim To assess the rate of sustained virological response in naive hepatitis C virus-type 5 patients treated by standard interferon or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy-interferon (peg-interferon) and ribavirin combination for 48 weeks. Patients and Methods A total of 87 hepatitis C virus patients were included from 12 centres in France; 28 patients received interferon plus ribavirin and 59 were treated with peg-interferon plus ribavirin. Results Baseline characteristics were: mean age 58 +/- 11 years, sex ratio 1, 66% had metavir fibrosis score >= F2, 21% were cirrhotics and 53% had pretherapeutic viral load >= 800 000 IU/mL. Sustained virological response was achieved in 64% and 58% of hepatitis C virus-5 patients treated with interferon and peg-interferon, respectively (NS). In adherent patients, sustained virological response was obtained in 75% of patients. Sustained virological response in hepatitis C virus-5 patients (60%) was significantly higher than sustained virological response in hepatitis C virus-1 patients (37%) (P = 0.0499) and not significantly different from sustained virological response in hepatitis C virus-2-3 patients (63%) (P = 0.8098). Conclusions Combination therapy is effective in 60% of hepatitis C virus-5-infected patients. Sustained virological response seems better in hepatitis C virus-5 patients than in hepatitis C virus-1 patients, and is similar to that of hepatitis C virus-2-3 patients. More studies are needed to determine optimal duration of treatment in hepatitis C virus-5 patients.