Guest guest Posted November 17, 2000 Report Share Posted November 17, 2000 Interferon Plus Ribavirin Improves Response of US Black Patients With Chronic HCV WESTPORT, CT (Reuters Health) Nov 15 - Combination interferon-ribavirin therapy is more effective than interferon monotherapy in black patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, according to a report in the November issue of Gastroenterology. Dr. G. McHutchison, of Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation in La Jolla, California, and a multicenter team examined data from 1744 patients enrolled in two randomized clinical trials to investigate racial differences in response to therapy for chronic hepatitis C. The patients were randomized to one of four treatment groups " based on the presence or absence of cirrhosis, pretreatment serum HCV-RNA level and HCV genotype. " The four groups received interferon alpha-2b plus placebo for either 24 or 48 weeks or the combination of interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin for either 24 or 48 weeks. Of the 1744 patients studied, 1600 were white, 53 black, 27 Asian, 32 Hispanic and 32 of other racial origins. Due to " genotype differences between the racial groups and the small numbers of Asian and Hispanic participants, " detailed subgroup analysis was limited to genotype1-infected white and black patients, the authors write. The researchers found that sustained virologic responses occurred in 27% of whites, 11% of blacks, 44% of Asians and 16% of Hispanics. No black patients responded to interferon monotherapy compared with 13% of whites. However, 20% and 23% of black patients responded to combination therapy at 24 and 48 weeks, respectively, " compared with 33% and 42% of white patients treated for the same durations. " In blacks, 96% of the patients had hepatitis genotype 1 compared with 65% of the white patients. Among genotype 1 patients, sustained response rates were similar, 23% for blacks and 22% for whites, the authors note. " The combination therapy should be offered to black patients who are suitable candidates, and discrepancies among racial groups in application of antiviral therapy should be eliminated, " Dr. McHutchison told Reuters Health. " NIH is planning a study at eight clinical centers throughout the United States of 400 patients, 200 white and 200 black. Hopefully, this will provide greater insight into the racial differences we observed in our research, " he added. Gastroenterology 2000;119:1317-1323. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 17, 2000 Report Share Posted November 17, 2000 Interferon Plus Ribavirin Improves Response of US Black Patients With Chronic HCV WESTPORT, CT (Reuters Health) Nov 15 - Combination interferon-ribavirin therapy is more effective than interferon monotherapy in black patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, according to a report in the November issue of Gastroenterology. Dr. G. McHutchison, of Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation in La Jolla, California, and a multicenter team examined data from 1744 patients enrolled in two randomized clinical trials to investigate racial differences in response to therapy for chronic hepatitis C. The patients were randomized to one of four treatment groups " based on the presence or absence of cirrhosis, pretreatment serum HCV-RNA level and HCV genotype. " The four groups received interferon alpha-2b plus placebo for either 24 or 48 weeks or the combination of interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin for either 24 or 48 weeks. Of the 1744 patients studied, 1600 were white, 53 black, 27 Asian, 32 Hispanic and 32 of other racial origins. Due to " genotype differences between the racial groups and the small numbers of Asian and Hispanic participants, " detailed subgroup analysis was limited to genotype1-infected white and black patients, the authors write. The researchers found that sustained virologic responses occurred in 27% of whites, 11% of blacks, 44% of Asians and 16% of Hispanics. No black patients responded to interferon monotherapy compared with 13% of whites. However, 20% and 23% of black patients responded to combination therapy at 24 and 48 weeks, respectively, " compared with 33% and 42% of white patients treated for the same durations. " In blacks, 96% of the patients had hepatitis genotype 1 compared with 65% of the white patients. Among genotype 1 patients, sustained response rates were similar, 23% for blacks and 22% for whites, the authors note. " The combination therapy should be offered to black patients who are suitable candidates, and discrepancies among racial groups in application of antiviral therapy should be eliminated, " Dr. McHutchison told Reuters Health. " NIH is planning a study at eight clinical centers throughout the United States of 400 patients, 200 white and 200 black. Hopefully, this will provide greater insight into the racial differences we observed in our research, " he added. Gastroenterology 2000;119:1317-1323. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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