Treatment with interferon α-2β and ribavirin is currently the standard initial regimen used to treat patients with chronic hepatitis C.

In the September issue of Lancet magazine, information was published that, with the use of peginterferon, the persistent virological frequency was higher.

Previous studies have shown that with the use of peginterferon, a persistent virological response is observed 2 times more often than with conventional interferon. However, monotherapy with peginterferon in patients infected with hepatitis C virus type 1 (the most difficult to treat virus genotype) has a high relapse rate and a complete virological response is not obtained.

In this study, German scientists studied the effects of peginterferon α-2β in combination with ribavirin. Based on standard interferon regimens, the researchers believed that adding ribavirin to peginterferon therapy could reduce the rate of recurrence.

The study involved 1,530 patients with chronic hepatitis C who were randomized into 3 groups: 1 group received 3 IU of interferon subcutaneously 3 times a week; Group 2 - peginterferon 1.5 μg / kg per week, group 3 - peginterferon 0.5 μg / kg per week. Ribavirin was also prescribed to patients in the three groups without calculating body weight. The duration of treatment was 48 weeks. At the end of treatment, after 24 weeks, the patient had hepatitis C virus RNA in the blood.

In the group of patients receiving a higher dose of peginterferon, the frequency of the persistent virological response was significantly higher than in each of the other two groups (54% vs 47%).

The frequency of the persistent virological response in patients with viral hepatitis C (genotypes 2 and 3) was approximately 80% when each of the subjects on treatment was used, and for the entire duration of treatment - 90%.

After further analysis, the researchers found that the level of persistent virological response associated with the administration of a larger dose of the drug could be even higher if ribavirin was calculated on body weight.

Researchers believe that peginterferon and ribavirin may be the standard treatment for patients with chronic hepatitis C, not only because this combination is more effective than the previous regimen, but also because it does not work. is prescribed only once a week, and the standard treatment is interferon + ribavirin - 3 times a week.