RECOMBINANT INTERFERON-ALPHA THERAPY IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH CHRONICHEPATITIS-C WITHOUT CIRRHOSIS

We administered a 24 week cycle of recombinant interferon alpha (r-IFN a) treatment (6 MU twice per week) to 18 patients over 50 years and 20 patients under 50 years affected by chronic hepatitis C without cirrh osis in order to evaluate the efficacy of, and tolerance to r-IFNa. Li ver histology and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) values prior to treatment were overlapping in the two groups. Complete response was a chieved in 2 patients of the first group (11 %) and 12 of the second ( 60 %, p < 0.01) and was defined as normalization of ALT values during treatment. Sustained response was defined as persisting normal ALT val ues 6 months after the end of treatment and was observed in 2 patients of the group above 50 years of age and in 8 patients of the younger g roup, Partial response was observed in 8 patients (44.5 %) of the olde r group and 2 patients (10 %) of the younger group; it was defined as a more than 50 % ALT reduction compared to the values before the treat ment. No statistically significant correlation was observed between th e pretreatment histological picture and type of response. Tolerance to treatment was good in both group and none of the patients presented s ide effects necessitating suspension of treatment.