Retreatment with interferon-alpha at dosages or period increased by 1.3 times is effective for treatment for transient responders and non-responders in chronic hepatitis C patients

The objectives of retreatment with interferon (IFN) in chronic hepatitis C (CH-C) patients are sustained response and a reduction in the risk of hepat ocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, it is still unclear, as to which patien ts are candidates for retreatment with IFN. Eighteen transient responders ( TRs) and 15 non-responders (NRs) to IFN therapy in Cl-I-C received retreatm ent with IFN alpha. Of the 18 TRs, five showed sustained disappearance of h epatitis C virus, two showed sustained biochemical response, 10 continued a s TR and one was a NR. Of the 15 NRs, six showed a TR while nine continued as NRs. Responsive cases, which included the virologically or biochemically sustained and transient responders, received either a dose of IFN 1.3 time s greater or were treated for a period of 1.3 times longer in the retreatme nt than the original treatment. We submit that IFN treatment consisting of either a time period or a dosage 1.3 times those of the original IFN admini stration may he beneficial in the case of TR and NR in chronic hepatitis C patients. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.