Sofosbuvir and velpatasvir with or without voxilaprevir in direct-acting antiviral-naïve chronic hepatitis C: patient-reported outcomes from POLARIS 2 and 3.

BACKGROUND: Chronic hepatitis C infection leads to impairment of patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Treatment with direct-acting antiviral regimens results in short- and long-term improvement of these outcomes. AIM: To assess PROs in patients treated with a newly developed direct-acting antiviral, a fixed-dose combination of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) with/without voxilaprevir (VOX). METHODS: The PRO data were collected from participants of POLARIS-2 and POLARIS-3 clinical trials (DAA-naïve, all HCV genotypes). Participants self-administered SF-36v2, FACIT-F, CLDQ-HCV and WPAI:SHP instruments at baseline, during treatment, and in follow-up. RESULTS: Of 1160 patients, 611 received SOF/VEL/VOX and 549 received SOF/VEL (52.8 ± 11.0 years, 55.9% male, 75.4% treatment-naïve, 33.9% cirrhotic). The sustained viral response at 12 weeks (SVR12) rates were 95%-98%. During treatment, improvements in most PRO scores were significant (all but one P < .01) and ranged from, on average, +2.3 to +15.0 points (on a 0-100 scale) by the end of treatment. These improvements were similar between SOF/VEL/VOX and SOF/VEL arms (all P > .05). After treatment discontinuation, patients treated with both regimens achieved significant and clinically meaningful PRO gains (+2.7 to +16.7 by post-treatment week 12, +3.9 to +20.1 by post-treatment week 24; all but one P < .001). Multivariate analysis showed that depression, anxiety and cirrhosis were the most consistent independent predictors of PRO impairment while no association of PROs with the treatment regimen choice was found (all P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: The pan-genotypic regimens with SOF/VEL with or without VOX not only have excellent efficacy and safety, but also significantly positively impact patients' experience both during treatment and after achieving sustained virologic response in DAA-naïve patients with HCV.

Time to viral suppression is not related to achievement of SVR12 in HCV GT1-infected patients treated with ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir with or without ribavirin.

High rates of sustained virologic response at post-treatment week 12 (SVR12) were achieved in six phase 3 trials of ombitasvir (OBV, an NS5A inhibitor), paritaprevir (an NS3/4A protease inhibitor) co-dosed with ritonavir (PTV/r) + dasabuvir (DSV, an NS5B RNA polymerase inhibitor) (ie, 3D regimen) with or without ribavirin (RBV) in adults with chronic genotype (GT) 1 hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We assessed whether time to first HCV RNA value below the lower limit of quantification in patients with and without cirrhosis was associated with achievement of SVR12. Data were analysed from GT1-infected patients enrolled in six phase 3 studies of 3D ± RBV. Patients who experienced non-virologic failure were excluded from analysis. HCV RNA was determined using the Roche COBAS TaqMan RT-PCR assay (lower limit of quantification, LLOQ =25 IU/mL). SVR12 was analysed by week of first HCV RNA suppression, defined as HCV RNA

Antiviral response and resistance analysis of treatment-naïve HCV-infected patients receiving single and multiple doses of GS-9190.

GS-9190 is a NS5B non-nucleoside analogue with demonstrated effectiveness in a Phase 1 monotherapy study and in combination with other DAAs for treatment of chronic HCV infection. Here, the resistance profile of GS-9190 monotherapy in a Phase 1b study was investigated. Resistance analysis was performed by population sequencing and allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR) for Y448H with an assay cut-off of 0.5%. Phenotypic susceptibility analyses were performed on patient isolates as well as site-directed mutagenesis of mutations selected during monotherapy. No resistance-associated variants were observed in patients before or after receiving single doses of GS-9190 by population sequencing. In contrast, in patients who received GS-9190 for 8 days, mutations Y448H and Y452H in NS5B were observed by population sequencing in 21/36 (58%) and 2/36 (5.6%) patients, respectively, at Day 8 or Day 14. Among the remaining 15 patients who had no detectable Y448H at Day 8 or Day 14 by population sequencing, low frequencies of Y448H ranging from 1.3 to 9.7% were detected in 14 of 15 patients by AS-PCR. By AS-PCR, Y448H remained detectable at reduced frequency in the majority of patients analysed through 4-6 months of follow-up. Chimeric HCV replicons constructed with the NS5B sequence from patients with Y448H and Y448H + Y452H/Y demonstrated 27-fold and 78.5-fold reduced susceptibility to GS-9190. In conclusion, Y448H was rapidly selected in the majority of patients receiving multiple doses of GS-9190 as monotherapy, despite undetectable levels in pretreatment samples. Y448H confers reduced susceptibility to GS-9190 and other NNIs and persisted in most patients for months post-treatment.

Simeprevir with peginterferon/ribavirin for treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection: pooled safety analysis from Phase IIb and III studies.

This pooled analysis of five Phase IIb and III studies evaluated the safety and tolerability of simeprevir, a once daily, oral hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A protease inhibitor. Data were summarised for patients who received simeprevir 150 mg once daily (n = 924) or placebo (n = 540) plus pegylated interferon-α/ribavirin for 12 weeks. During the first 12 weeks of treatment, few patients discontinued simeprevir or placebo due to adverse events (AEs) (both 2.2%). Pruritus (23.8% vs 17.4%), rash (any; 22.9% vs 16.7%) and photosensitivity (3.2% vs 0.6%) [Correction added on 16 January 2015, after first online publication: In the above sentence, the values in 'Photosensitivity' were previously incorrect and have now been changed to 3.2% vs 0.6%.] were more prevalent in the simeprevir vs the placebo groups. Most AEs were grade 1/2 (72.4% for simeprevir vs 71.3% for placebo). All grade 3/4 AEs occurred in <5.0% of patients, except neutropenia (9.8% vs 7.6%). Overall incidence of neutropenia was similar (17.3% vs 15.7%). Incidence of anaemia was 13.2% for simeprevir vs 10.9% for placebo, and incidence of increased bilirubin was 8.4% vs 2.8%. Bilirubin increases were mild-to-moderate and transient without concurrent transaminase increases or association with hepatic injury. Safety and tolerability did not vary with METAVIR score, although increased bilirubin and anaemia were more frequent in simeprevir-treated patients with METAVIR F4 (increased bilirubin, 13.0% vs 3.3%; anaemia, 19.0% vs 14.8%). Serious AEs were infrequent (2.1% for simeprevir vs 3.0% for placebo). No deaths were reported during the first 12 weeks of treatment. Patient-reported fatigue and other outcomes were comparable for both groups, but were of shorter duration for simeprevir due to the use of response-guided therapy. Simeprevir is well tolerated in HCV genotype 1-infected patients.

Impact of common risk factors of fibrosis progression in chronic hepatitis C.

OBJECTIVE: The natural course of chronic hepatitis C varies widely. To improve the profiling of patients at risk of developing advanced liver disease, we assessed the relative contribution of factors for liver fibrosis progression in hepatitis C. DESIGN: We analysed 1461 patients with chronic hepatitis C with an estimated date of infection and at least one liver biopsy. Risk factors for accelerated fibrosis progression rate (FPR), defined as ≥ 0.13 Metavir fibrosis units per year, were identified by logistic regression. Examined factors included age at infection, sex, route of infection, HCV genotype, body mass index (BMI), significant alcohol drinking (≥ 20 g/day for ≥ 5 years), HIV coinfection and diabetes. In a subgroup of 575 patients, we assessed the impact of single nucleotide polymorphisms previously associated with fibrosis progression in genome-wide association studies. Results were expressed as attributable fraction (AF) of risk for accelerated FPR. RESULTS: Age at infection (AF 28.7%), sex (AF 8.2%), route of infection (AF 16.5%) and HCV genotype (AF 7.9%) contributed to accelerated FPR in the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study, whereas significant alcohol drinking, anti-HIV, diabetes and BMI did not. In genotyped patients, variants at rs9380516 (TULP1), rs738409 (PNPLA3), rs4374383 (MERTK) (AF 19.2%) and rs910049 (major histocompatibility complex region) significantly added to the risk of accelerated FPR. Results were replicated in three additional independent cohorts, and a meta-analysis confirmed the role of age at infection, sex, route of infection, HCV genotype, rs738409, rs4374383 and rs910049 in accelerating FPR. CONCLUSIONS: Most factors accelerating liver fibrosis progression in chronic hepatitis C are unmodifiable.

The new paradigm of hepatitis C therapy: integration of oral therapies into best practices.

Emerging data indicate that all-oral antiviral treatments for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) will become a reality in the near future. In replacing interferon-based therapies, all-oral regimens are expected to be more tolerable, more effective, shorter in duration and simpler to administer. Coinciding with new treatment options are novel methodologies for disease screening and staging, which create the possibility of more timely care and treatment. Assessments of histologic damage typically are performed using liver biopsy, yet noninvasive assessments of histologic damage have become the norm in some European countries and are becoming more widespread in the United States. Also in place are new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) initiatives to simplify testing, improve provider and patient awareness and expand recommendations for HCV screening beyond risk-based strategies. Issued in 2012, the CDC recommendations aim to increase HCV testing among those with the greatest HCV burden in the United States by recommending one-time testing for all persons born during 1945-1965. In 2013, the United States Preventive Services Task Force adopted similar recommendations for risk-based and birth-cohort-based testing. Taken together, the developments in screening, diagnosis and treatment will likely increase demand for therapy and stimulate a shift in delivery of care related to chronic HCV, with increased involvement of primary care and infectious disease specialists. Yet even in this new era of therapy, barriers to curing patients of HCV will exist. Overcoming such barriers will require novel, integrative strategies and investment of resources at local, regional and national levels.

Long-term clearance of hepatitis C virus following interferon α-2b or peginterferon α-2b, alone or in combination with ribavirin.

Sustained virologic response (SVR) is the standard measure for evaluating response to therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). The aim of this study was to prospectively assess the durability of SVR in the pivotal studies of peginterferon (PEG-IFN) α-2b or IFN α-2b. We conducted two phase 3b long-term follow-up studies of patients previously treated for CHC in eight prospective randomized studies of IFN α-2b and/or PEG-IFN α-2b. Patients who achieved SVR [undetectable hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA 24 weeks after completion of treatment] were eligible for inclusion in these follow-up studies. In total, 636 patients with SVR following treatment with IFN α-2b and 366 with SVR following treatment with PEG-IFN α-2b were enrolled. Definite relapse (quantifiable serum HCV RNA with no subsequent undetectable HCV RNA) was reported in six patients treated with IFN α-2b and three patients treated with PEG-IFN α-2b. Based on these relapses, the point estimate for the likelihood of maintaining response after 5 years was 99.2% [95% confidence interval (CI), 98.1-99.7%] for IFN α-2b and 99.4% (95% CI, 97.7-99.9%) for PEG-IFN α-2b. Successful treatment of hepatitis C with PEG-IFN α-2b or IFN α-2b leads to clinical cure of hepatitis C in the vast majority of cases.

Decline in pulmonary function during chronic hepatitis C virus therapy with modified interferon alfa and ribavirin.

Rare interstitial lung disease cases have been reported with albinterferon alfa-2b (albIFN) and pegylated interferon alfa-2a (Peg-IFNα-2a) in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients. Systematic pulmonary function evaluation was conducted in a study of albIFN q4wk vs Peg-IFNα-2a qwk in patients with chronic HCV genotypes 2/3. Three hundred and ninety-one patients were randomly assigned 4:4:4:3 to one of four, open-label, 24-week treatment groups including oral ribavirin 800 mg/d: albIFN 900/1200/1500 µg q4wk or Peg-IFNα-2a 180 µg qwk. Standardized spirometry and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) were recorded at baseline, weeks 12 and 24, and 6 months posttreatment, and chest X-rays (CXRs) at baseline and week 24. Baseline spirometry and DLCO were abnormal in 35 (13%) and 98 (26%) patients, respectively. Baseline interstitial CXR findings were rare (4 [1%]). During the study, clinically relevant DLCO declines (≥15%) were observed in 173 patients (48%), and were more frequent with Peg-IFNα-2a and albIFN 1500 µg; 24 weeks posttreatment, 57 patients (18%) still had significantly decreased DLCO, with a pattern for greater rates with albIFN vs Peg-IFNα-2a. One patient developed new interstitial CXR abnormalities, but there were no clinically relevant interstitial lung disease cases. The risk of persistent posttreatment DLCO decrease was not related to smoking, alcohol, HCV genotype, sustained virologic response, or baseline viral load or spirometry. Clinically relevant DLCO declines occurred frequently in chronic HCV patients receiving IFNα/ribavirin therapy and commonly persisted for ≥6 months posttherapy. The underlying mechanism and clinical implications for long-term pulmonary function impairment warrant further research.

Randomized trial of albinterferon alfa-2b every 4 weeks for chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 2/3.

Albinterferon alfa-2b (albIFN) is a fusion protein of recombinant human albumin/recombinant interferon (IFN)-α-2b, with ∼200-h half-life. Safety/efficacy of albIFN q4wk was evaluated in 391 treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2/3. Patients were randomized 3:4:4:4 to one of four open-label treatment groups: pegylated IFN (Peg-IFN)-α-2a 180 µg qwk or albIFN 900, 1200 or 1500 µg q4wk, plus oral ribavirin 800 mg/day, for 24 weeks. Primary efficacy endpoint was sustained virologic response (SVR; HCV RNA <20 IU/mL 24 weeks post-treatment). SVR rates were as follows: 85%, 76%, 76% and 78% with Peg-IFNα-2a and albIFN 900, 1200 and 1500 µg, respectively (P = NS); corresponding rapid virologic response rates (HCV RNA <43 IU/mL at week 4) were as follows: 78%, 49% (P < 0.001), 60% (P = 0.01) and 71%. SVR rates were not influenced by interleukin 28B genotype, although rapid virologic response rates were greater with interleukin 28B CC (P = NS). Serious adverse event rates were as follows: 4%, 11%, 3% and 3% with Peg-IFNα-2a and albIFN 900, 1200 and 1500 µg, respectively. No increase in serious/severe respiratory events was noted with albIFN. Fewer absolute neutrophil count reductions <750/mm(3) occurred with albIFN (P = 0.03), leading to fewer IFN dose reductions. Haemoglobin reductions <10 g/dL were less frequent with albIFN 900 and 1200 µg vs 1500 µg and Peg-IFNα-2a (P = 0.02), leading to fewer ribavirin dose reductions. albIFN administered q4wk produced fewer haematologic reductions than Peg-IFNα-2a, but had numerically lower SVR rates (P = NS) in patients with chronic HCV genotype 2/3.

Standardization of terminology of virological response in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C: panel recommendations.

The treatment paradigm for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is at a critical point in its evolution. The addition of a protease inhibitor to peginterferon plus ribavirin has become the new standard-of-care treatment for most patients. Data from clinical trials of new antivirals have been difficult to interpret and compare, partly because of heterogeneity in trial design, and partly because of inconsistencies in terminology used to define viral responses and the populations evaluated. Present definitions of viral responses for treatment with peginterferon and ribavirin are insufficient for novel treatment paradigms. Further, categorization of prior patient treatment experience in clinical trials, particularly of nonresponders to prior therapy, is inconsistent. Existing terms and definitions must be updated, standardized and/or redefined for easier interpretation of data and effective communication among clinicians. A panel of experts in HCV infection treatment met on 3 December 2009. Goals of the panel were to evaluate terms and definitions used traditionally in treatment with peginterferon and ribavirin, to refine and clarify definitions of existing terms that have varying meanings and to propose new terms and definitions appropriate for novel treatment paradigms emerging with development of new agents. A number of recommendations were accepted unanimously by the panel. Adoption of these terms would improve communication among investigators, enhance comparability among clinical trials, facilitate development of therapeutic guidelines and provide a standardized terminology for use in clinical practice.

A practical guide for the use of boceprevir and telaprevir for the treatment of hepatitis C.

The aim of this study is to review clinical trial data on the newly approved protease inhibitors boceprevir and telaprevir to develop consensus recommendations on the optimal use of these agents for the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. An expert panel of seven leading authorities in viral hepatitis was convened to establish and disseminate a practical guide on best practices for incorporating boceprevir and telaprevir into therapy for HCV infection in both treatment-naive and treatment-experienced patients. The topics covered include selecting candidates for boceprevir- or telaprevir-based treatments, predictors of response and early viral kinetics, response-guided therapy approaches, on-treatment management strategies to optimize the likelihood of response and minimize the risk of drug resistance, management of adverse effects during therapy and key considerations for special populations. The expert panel incorporated the best available clinical evidence into recommendations on how boceprevir and telaprevir should be used in the clinical setting. They indicated how treatment regimens may differ according to the baseline factors, such as presence of cirrhosis and when therapy may need to be modified or stopped altogether because of adverse events or poor virologic response. This practical guide will serve as a valuable resource for clinicians embarking on the new treatment paradigm of boceprevir or telaprevir in combination with peginterferon/ribavirin for chronic genotype 1 HCV infection.

Inverse association between hepatic stellate cell apoptosis and fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Perisinusoidal hepatic stellate cells (HSC) are the principal fibrogenic cells in the liver. In animal models, HSC apoptosis is the predominant clearance mechanism of activated HSC, although data evaluating whether the same processes occur in humans are limited. We conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate the association between HSC apoptosis and fibrosis stage in subjects with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (n = 44) and HCV-negative controls with normal liver histology (n = 9). We used immunohistochemical techniques to identify activated (alpha-smooth muscle actin+), proliferative (Ki-67+) and apoptotic (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase [TdT]-mediated dUTP nick end-labelling+) HSC in liver biopsy specimens from all subjects. The same pathologist enumerated positive cells per high-power field (HPF, x 200) in 20 periportal/lobular areas. HSC apoptosis was decreased in HCV-positive subjects compared with controls (median 0.4, range 0.0-3.1 vs 1.1, 0.2-3.5 cells/HPF, P = 0.02). Among HCV-positive subjects, HSC apoptosis was decreased in those with moderate to advanced fibrosis (P = 0.04) compared with those with mild fibrosis. By multivariate analysis, HSC apoptosis decreased by an average of 0.14 cells/HPF (95% confidence interval 0.01-0.28 cells/HPF) per increase in fibrosis stage (P = 0.04). While the number of activated and proliferative HSC was significantly increased in HCV-infected subjects compared with that in uninfected controls, the numbers of these cells did not differ between HCV-infected subjects with mild vs moderate/advanced fibrosis. In conclusion, the number of apoptotic HSC was significantly decreased in HCV-infected subjects with advanced fibrosis. In chronic HCV infection, inhibition of HSC apoptosis may be one mechanism by which fibrosis progresses.

Optimal dose of peginterferon and ribavirin for treatment of chronic hepatitis C.

Chronic hepatitis C affects 170 million people worldwide, including up to 4 million people in the United States. The current standard of care therapy with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) while highly successful in patients with genotype 2 and 3 infection, allows for sustained virologic response in 42-46% of treatment-naïve genotype 1 patients, comprising about 70% of cases of chronic hepatitis C in the USA. While awaiting approval of Specifically Targeted Antiviral Therapy for HCV (STAT-C) agents, which will require the completion of additional clinical trials, it is important to optimize the dose and duration of currently available treatment modalities, namely PEG-IFN and RBV, for treatment of CHC. Results of several recent trials evaluating optimal dosing of RBV and higher than standard dosing of PEG-IFN in treatment-naïve genotype 1 patients, as well as data from retreatment trials with "induction" doses of PEG-IFN or high-dose RBV in prior non-responders to IFN-based therapy will be reviewed here. The possibility of shorter duration of therapy for genotype 2 and 3 patients based on recent publications and presentations will be discussed as well.

Hepatic inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression in hepatitis C virus-human immunodeficiency virus co-infection.

Although epidemiologic studies have documented that hepatitis C virus (HCV)/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infected patients have accelerated fibrogenesis, especially those with CD4+ cell counts <200 cells/mm(3), the pathogenic mechanisms are poorly understood. We investigated whether severe immunodeficiency in co-infection is associated with changes in intrahepatic inflammatory cytokine mRNA levels. We measured interferon (IFN)-gamma, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta(1), interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10, IL-12p35 and IL-12p40 mRNA levels by real-time PCR performed on liver samples from HCV mono-infected (n = 19) and HCV/HIV co-infected (n = 24) patients. Co-infected patients had decreased intrahepatic mRNA levels of IFN-gamma (P = 0.09), IL-4 (P = 0.05) and IL-12p35 (P = 0.04) compared with mono-infected patients, while IL-10 was increased (P = 0.07). In co-infected patients, IFN-gamma mRNA levels increased linearly with increasing peripheral CD4+ cell counts by 1.23 times relative to the calibrator for every 100 CD4+ cells/mm(3) increase (P = 0.02). No other cytokines were significantly associated with CD4+ cell counts. In conclusion, HIV-induced lymphopenia may result in hepatic inflammatory cytokine suppression in HCV/HIV co-infection. Intrahepatic IFN-gamma levels are significantly reduced in patients with advanced immunodeficiency. Further studies are needed to assess whether decreased IFN-gamma secretion by HCV-specific CD4+ cells may account for accelerated fibrogenesis in these patients.

CD56(+dim) and CD56(+bright) cell activation and apoptosis in hepatitis C virus infection.

CD3- CD56(+dim) natural killer (NK) cells, which are cytotoxic against virally infected cells, may be important in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients who are successfully treated with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN)-alpha. We used flow cytometry to enumerate activated (CD69+) and apoptotic (annexin-V+) dim (CD3- CD56(+dim)) and bright (CD3- CD56(+bright)) NK cells obtained from HCV-infected patients before treatment (n=16) and healthy controls (n=15) in the absence and presence of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN)-alpha-2b. A subset of HCV-infected patients, subsequently treated with PEG-IFN-alpha-2b in vivo, was determined to have a sustained virological response (SVR, n=6) or to not respond (NR) to treatment (n=5). In the absence of IFN, activated dim (CD3- CD56(+dim) CD69+) NK cells were significantly decreased (P=0.04) while activated apoptotic dim (CD3- CD56(+dim)CD69+ annexin-V+) NK cells tended to be increased (P=0.07) in SVR patients compared with NR patients. Activated bright (CD3-CD56(+bright)CD69+) and activated apoptotic bright (CD3- CD56(+bright)CD69+ annexin-V+) NK cells were significantly correlated (P=0.02 and P=0.01, respectively) with increasing hepatic inflammation. These findings suggest that in the absence of PEG-IFN, activated dim (CD3- CD56(+dim)CD69+) NK cell turnover may be enhanced in SVR compared with NR patients and that activated bright (CD3- CD56(+bright)CD69+) NK cells may play a role in liver inflammation.

Efficacy of high-dose interferon in combination with ribavirin in patients with chronic hepatitis C resistant to interferon alone.

OBJECTIVE: Interferon combined with ribavirin has efficacy in the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, its utility in patients who have not responded to prior interferon therapy is not clear. Furthermore, the effect of using an increased dose of interferon in combination with ribavirin in patients with chronic hepatitis C resistant to conventional doses of interferon is not known. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of high-dose interferon in combination with ribavirin on the efficacy of treating patients with chronic hepatitis C resistant to interferon monotherapy in a large multicenter trial. METHODS: We randomized 154 patients with chronic hepatitis C who failed to achieve a sustained response with prior interferon therapy to receive either 3 or 5 MU of interferon alpha-2b and ribavirin (1000-1200 mg/day) for 12 months. There were 119 patients who had not responded and 35 who initially responded but relapsed after prior interferon monotherapy. Serum HCV RNA levels were measured at entry, 6, and 12 months of treatment and at the end of a 6-month follow-up period. RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects was 47 yr (range 28-68 yr), and 110 (71.4%) were men. One hundred thirty-two patients (86%) had HCV genotype 1, whereas 21 (14%) had cirrhosis. Eighty-one subjects (53%) were randomized to receive 3 MU of interferon alpha-2b. Fifteen of 35 relapse subjects (43%) and 12 of 119 prior nonresponder entrants (10%) achieved a sustained virological response to the 12-month course of treatment. Overall, 11 of 81 patients (14%) receiving 3 MU, and 16 of 73 patients (22%) receiving 5 MU of interferon maintained an undetectable HCV RNA level after cessation of therapy. The difference in sustained response rates between the two interferon dosage groups did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.09). However, among the nonresponder patients alone, there was an increased sustained response in the high-dose interferon group compared with the standard interferon dose group (15.5% vs 4.9%, p = 0.055). Twenty-six patients discontinued therapy before 6 months, including 10 patients (12.3%) in the 3-MU and 16 patients (21.9%) in the 5-MU groups (p = 0.17). CONCLUSIONS: Sustained virological response to combined interferon alpha-2b and ribavirin was significantly higher in relapse patients than those who did not respond to prior interferon monotherapy. Although, when all treated patients were analyzed, there was no significant difference in sustained response between subjects receiving 3 and 5 MU of interferon, among the prior nonresponder patients, treatment with 5 MU of interferon with ribavirin resulted in a slightly increased response compared with treatment with the standard interferon dosage. The tolerability of the treatment regimens was comparable.

Evaluation of the pattern of liver tests and yield of cholangiography in symptomatic choledocholithiasis: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: The role of ERCP in the management of choledocholithiasis in an era of minimally invasive therapy continues to be defined. METHODS: We evaluated prospectively the pattern of liver test abnormalities and yield of cholangiography after presentation with illnesses suggesting choledocholithiasis. Ninety-four consecutive patients, all with liver test abnormalities (total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, AST, and ALT) at presentation, had serial determinations to within 24 hours of cholangiography and were divided into four groups based on their patterns of rise or fall of liver test results as well as presenting clinical syndrome. Group I: normalized liver tests; Group II: falling liver tests, and alkaline phosphatase falling greater than 50% of the difference between presentation value and upper limit of normal; Group III: alkaline phosphatase falling less than 50%; and Group IV: any liver test with increasing levels. Clinical syndromes included cholangitis, pancreatitis, combined cholangitis and pancreatitis, and biliary pain with abnormal liver tests. RESULTS: Yields of choledocholithiasis were 13% (Group I), 50% (Group II), 67% (Group III), and 94% (Group IV). Yield by syndromes were 36% (biliary pancreatitis), 72% (biliary pain and abnormal liver tests), 87% (cholangitis), and 100% (cholangitis and pancreatitis). CONCLUSION: The degree of decline in liver test levels is inversely related to the yield of cholangiography in symptomatic choledocholithiasis; the yield of ERCP in these patients (with normalized liver tests) is low and they do not require ERCP. Pre-ERCP estimates of the likelihood of choledocholithiasis can be made on the basis of the pattern of liver tests, and biliary pancreatitis patients with normalized liver tests do not require ERCP.