The HEP-NET B/C co-infection trial: A prospective multicenter study to investigate the efficacy of p

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J Hepatol. 2008 Apr 29. [Epub ahead of print]

The HEP-NET B/C co-infection trial: A prospective multicenter study to

investigate the efficacy of pegylated interferon-alpha2b and ribavirin in

patients with HBV/HCV co-infection.

Potthoff A, Wedemeyer H, Boecher WO, Berg T, Zeuzem S, Arnold J, Spengler U,

Gruengreiff K, Kaeser T, Schuchmann M, Bergk A, Forestier N, Deterding K, Manns

MP, Trautwein C; for the Hep-Net B/C Co-infection Study Group.

Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Medizinische

Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30623 Hannover, Germany.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The efficacy of pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin in

HBV/HCV co-infected patients is unknown. METHODS: Nineteen patients with chronic

HBV/HCV co-infection (HBsAg and HCV-RNA positive; 10 HCV-genotype 1; 9

HCV-genotype 2 or 3) were included in this prospective multicenter pilot study.

Baseline HBV-DNA was negative in 13 individuals. All patients received

weight-adjusted PEG-IFN-alpha2b and ribavirin for 48 weeks. RESULTS: In the

intent-to-treat analysis, a biochemical and an HCV-RNA response were observed in

12 and 14 patients, respectively (63% and 74%). At the end of the treatment as

well as at the end of the follow-up the HCV-RNA response was 93% (14/15) in

patients adherent to therapy (86% in genotype 1 and 100% in genotypes 2 and 3

infection). Two of the five initially HBV-DNA positive patients with follow-up

available were HBV-DNA negative at follow-up week 24. In contrast, HBV-DNA

became detectable after the clearance of HCV in four initially HBV-DNA negative

patients. CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy with PEG-IFN-a2b and ribavirin is

highly effective in inducing a virological response concerning HCV in patients

with HBV/HCV co-infection. However, HBV replication may increase after the

clearance of HCV and thus close monitoring for both the viruses is recommended

even in patients with initially undetectable HBV-DNA.

PMID: 18490077 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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