APPROPRIATE INTERFERON-ALPHA THERAPY FOR CHRONIC HEPATITIS-C - AN ASSESSMENT BY QUANTITATIVE CHANGES IN SERUM HEPATITIS-C VIRUS-RNA

The antiviral effect of natural interferon (IFN)-alpha on chronic hepa titis C virus (HCV) infection was estimated by determining quantitativ e changes in serum HCV-RNA compared with the serum alanine aminotransf erase (sALT) improvement; the relationships of responses to IFN accord ing to the dose and period of IFN therapy were defined to determine an appropriate IFN therapy protocol. Twenty-two patients with chronic he patitis C were given natural IFN-alpha in 16(72.7%) patients the virae mia was suppressed during therapy. Five (27.7%) of them sustained the disappearance of HCV-RNA for more than 6 months after therapy accompan ied with a prolonged sALT improvement. Pre-treatment viraemia levels i n 5 complete responders with ''complete suppression'' of viraemia were significantly lower than in 11 patients with a transient loss or a de cline of HCV-RNA. A favorable antiviral response was closely associate d with a high total dose of IFN-alpha and a long duration of IFN thera py.