LONG-TERM BIOCHEMICAL AND VIROLOGICAL RESPONSE TO NATURAL INTERFERON-ALPHA IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS-C

To determine the long-term response to interferon-alpha, 134 patients with chronic hepatitis C were followed for more than one year after th erapy, Follow-up was stopped for 14 patients and 43 patients received retreatment, The remaining 77 patients were followed for 26-46 months, and 39 of them achieved long-term sustained alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normality. This normality was achieved in 35/38 short-term susta ined responders, which was significantly higher (P < 0.001) than in th e short-term relapsers (2/38) and the short-term nonresponders (2/44), Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA remained negative in 27 (73%) of 37 patie nts in the long-term sustained ALT normality group, However, only one (1.6%) of 63 long-term nonresponders was negative for HCV RNA. The res ults of HCV RNA testing for the long-term period agreed with those at three to six months after therapy, Serum ALT levels during the first s ix months after therapy and HCV RNA testing at three to six months aft er therapy are important for predicting long-term sustained ALT normal ity and HCV RNA negativity.