Efficacy and safety of ribavirin plus pegylated interferon alfa in geriatric patients with chronic hepatitis C. Issue 1 (5th November 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hu, C.‐C.; Lin, C.‐L.; Kuo, Y.‐L.; Chien, C.‐H.; Chen, S.‐W.; Yen, C.‐L.; Lin, C.‐Y.; Chien, R.‐N.
• Is Part Of: Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics. Volume 37:Issue 1(2013)
• Page Start: 81
• Page End: 90
• Publication Date: 2012-11-05
• Subjects: Digestive organs -- Diseases -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Digestive organs -- Effect of drugs on -- Periodicals; Gastrointestinal system -- Diseases -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Gastrointestinal system -- Effect of drugs on -- Periodicals; 615.73
• DOI: 10.1111/apt.12112
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-2813

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="apt12112-abs-0001"> <title>Summary</title> <sec id="apt12112-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Limited data are available on the efficacy and safety of antiviral therapy in geriatric patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.</p> </sec> <sec id="apt12112-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Aim</title> <p>To evaluate the efficacy and safety of pegylated interferon (pegIFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) therapy in geriatric HCV‐infected patients.</p> </sec> <sec id="apt12112-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Ninety‐one geriatric patients (age ≥65 years; the elderly group) with HCV infection and 91 gender‐ and HCV genotype‐matched middle‐aged patients (age 50–64 years; the younger group) were assigned to receive weekly pegIFN injection plus weight‐based oral RBV for 24 weeks. The on‐ and off‐treatment virological responses were evaluated for treatment efficacy.</p> </sec> <sec id="apt12112-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>In intention‐to‐treat analysis, the sustained virological response (SVR) rate was substantially decreased in the elderly patients (elderly group vs. younger group, 40.7% vs. 61.5%, respectively; <italic>P</italic> = 0.005). The SVR rate was significantly lower in geriatric patients than in middle‐aged patients with HCV genotype non‐1 (54.3% vs. 82.9%; <italic>P</italic> = 0.01), but the difference was not significant with HCV genotype 1 (32.1% vs. 48.2%; <italic>P</italic> = 0.083). Furthermore, the older patients infected with HCV genotype non‐1 who achieved a rapid virological response had a similar SVR rate to that of the younger patients. The withdrawal rate was 13.2% in the elderly group and 7.7% in the younger group.</p> </sec> <sec id="apt12112-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Compared with middle‐aged patients, the therapeutic efficacy of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin therapy is lower in hepatitis C virus‐infected geriatric patients with an acceptable withdrawal rate. Considering prolonged lifespan in geriatric patients, we recommend treating geriatric hepatitis C virus‐infected patients who have significant hepatic fibrosis and no other health problems.</p> </sec> </abstract>