Sustained response to interferon alpha-2a in thalassemic patients with chronic hepatitis C. A prospective 8-year follow-up study.

Eighty-nine thalassemic patients with chronic hepatitis C were treated with interferon alpha-2a for 12 months and followed up for 8 years. Interferon induced sustained virologic and biochemical response in 45% of participants and histologic improvement in 50% of patients who had paired liver biopsies. Splenectomy was the only independent predictor of an unfavorable outcome.