T. Poynard et al., METAANALYSIS OF INTERFERON RANDOMIZED TRIALS IN THE TREATMENT OF VIRAL-HEPATITIS-C - EFFECTS OF DOSE AND DURATION, Hepatology, 24(4), 1996, pp. 778-789
The aims of this study were to evaluate the benefits of higher doses o
r of longer duration in comparison with a standard interferon regimen
(3 MU three times per week for 6 months) in chronic hepatitis C, and t
o assess the efficacy of interferon in acute hepatitis C. Meta-analysi
s made use of the Peto et al. and the Per Simonian and Laird methods,
with heterogeneity and sensitivity analyses. In chronic hepatitis, a t
otal of 17 trials versus controls and of 16 trials comparing different
interferon regimens were included. Standard regimen, 3 MU three times
per week for 6 months, was associated with an increase of the complet
e alanine transaminase (ALT) response rate and sustained (ALT) respons
e rate by 45% (95% confidence interval: 35% to 55%; P < .001) and 21%
(13% to 28%; P < .001), respectively, with the natural course being le
ss than 2% of spontaneous responses. There was a significant dose effe
ct (6 vs. 3 MU three times per week) upon the sustained response rate
at 12 months, with a mean 17% increase (7% to 28%; P < .001), but not
at 6 months. There was a significant duration effect (12 vs. 6 months)
upon the sustained response rate both at the dose of 3 MU with a mean
of 16% (9% to 23%; P < .001), and at the dose of 6 MU three times per
week with a mean of 20% (7% to 33%; P = .003). In acute hepatitis C,
3 months of interferon treatment showed significant efficacy versus co
ntrols (4 trials), upon the complete ALT response (69% vs. 29%; P < .0
01), the sustained response rate during the 12 months following treatm
ent (53% vs. 32%; P = .02), and hepatitis C virus (HCV)-RNA clearance
(41% vs. 4%; P < .001). The best efficacy/risk ratio was in favor of 3
MU three times per week for at least 12 months in patients with chron
ic hepatitis C who had never been treated with interferon. Patients wi
th acute hepatitis should be treated with at least 3 MU three times pe
r week for 3 months.