EFFICACY OF DIFFERENT SCHEDULES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC HEPATITIS-C WITH INTERFERON-ALPHA

The best results in terms of clinical remission in chronic hepatitis C are achieved by interferon (IFN)-alpha treatment. We studied 255 pati ents affected by chronic hepatitis C infection (HCV) and divided into 3 groups. A different IFN-alpha therapeutic schedule was adopted in ea ch group: A) 3 million units (MU) three times per week for 6 months; B ) 3 MU three times per week for 12 months; C) 6 MU three times per wee k for 6 months. A sustained biohumoural and virological remission was observed in only 14.5% of the patients included in group A, in 21.6% o f the patients included in group B and in 8% of the patients included in group C. The adoption of more aggressive therapeutic regimens did n ot offer an improvement in response or patient compliance. At present, the long term efficacy of treatment may be evaluated on the basis of both biochemical and virological data.