Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease and Hemophilia

Vol. 49, No. 1-2, 2006

Free Abstract Article (References) Article (PDF 95 KB)

Treatment

Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease and Hemophilia - The Singapore Experience
Wan-Cheng Chow^a, Sim-Leng Tien^b, Chee-Kiat Tan^a, Hock-Foong Lui^a, Anantharaman Vathsala^c, Han-Seong Ng^a

Departments of
^aGastroenterology,
^bHaematology and
^cRenal Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore

Address of Corresponding Author

Intervirology 2006;49:107-111 (DOI: 10.1159/000087272)

Key Words

Hemophilia
Hepatitis C virus
Interferon
Renal failure
Thyroid dysfunction

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the response to treatment with interferon-alpha (IFN- alpha ) in patients with chronic hepatitis C who had end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or hemophilia in Singapore. Methods: Treatment-naive hepatitis patients with ESRD or hemophilia were given IFN- alpha _2a 3 million units three times per week for 12 months in an open-label study. Hepatitis C virus RNA was determined before treatment, at the end of treatment and 6 months thereafter. Regular clinical examinations including blood counts and biochemistry were carried out during and after the treatment. Results: Nine consecutive patients with ESRD (8 men and 1 woman) and 6 consecutive male patients with hemophilia, with a mean age of 43 and 40 years, received treatment. Patients in both groups were predominantly infected with hepatitis C virus genotype 1 and had significant cytopenia affecting all three cell lines during the treatment; only 1 patient developed serious neutropenia, temporarily demanding a reduction of his IFN dose. Biochemical and virological responses at the end of treatment were accomplished by 8 of the 9 (89%) patients with ESRD and 4 of the 6 (67%) patients with hemophilia; however, 1 patient with ESRD and 2 with hemophilia relapsed after the treatment. Four of the 7 patients with ESRD who had sustained virological response underwent successful kidney transplantation later on. Conclusion: Monotherapy with IFN- alpha for 12 months is safe for treatment of the patients with chronic hepatitis C who had ESRD or those with hemophilia. A higher sustained virological response rate was observed in patients with ESRD than in those with hemophilia (78 vs. 33%).

Author Contacts

Wan-Cheng Chow, MD
Department of Gastroenterology
Singapore General Hospital
Outram Road, 169608 (Singapore)
Tel. +65 63214684, Fax +65 62273623, E-Mail gm2cwc@sgh.com.sg

Article Information

Number of Print Pages : 5
Number of Figures : 2, Number of Tables : 1, Number of References : 23

Medline Abstract (ID 16166798)

Download Citation

Cited In

This journal is part of the second subject package of the Karger

Journal Archive Collection

Information on packages (PDF)
Free sample issues

For non-native English speakers and international authors who would like assistance with their writing before submission, we suggest American Journal Experts for their scientific editing service.