Interferon - ribavirin therapy for chronic hepatitis C: Efficacy in Saudi patients

ABSTRACT

Hepatitis C affects 2% of Saudi population. Previous local trails showed low response to interferon monotherapy for six- months. Aim: To evaluate biochemical and virological response of interferon- ribavirin combination on naive Saudi patients infected with HCV. A prospective single armed study was conducted at Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital from July 1999 to July 2002 for fifty patients who have hepatitis C virus [HCV-PCR] positive and chronic hepatitis on liver biopsy were started on the combination therapy for one year. All hads HCV-PCR at the end of therapy and at six months follow- up. Thirty-one patients [62%] normalized their ALT levels, and 25 patients [50%] became HCV- PCR negative achieving end- of-treatment response [ETR]. The sustained virological response [SR] was achieving in 19 patients [38%] at six months follow- up after stopping the treatment. Side effects were mainly flu like syndrome in 36 patients [72%]. Combination therapy of interferon afla-2b plus ribavirin is an effective treatment modality for HCV infected Saudi patients, with tolerable side effects. Our virological response rates are compatible with international published literatures