Interferon plus ribavirin in patients with HCV-positive mixed cryoglobulinemia resistant to interferon

[Guest guest]

J Rheumatol. 2003 Aug;30(8):1775-81.

Interferon plus ribavirin in patients with hepatitis C virus positive

mixed cryoglobulinemia resistant to interferon.

Mazzaro C, Zorat F, Comar C, Nascimben F, Bianchini D, Baracetti S,

Donada C, Donadon V, Pozzato G.

Second Medical Unit, S. degli Angeli Hospital, Pordenone, Italy.

OBJECTIVE: Only a small fraction of patients with hepatitis C virus

(HCV) positive mixed cryoglobulinemia achieve longterm recovery after

interferon (IFN) therapy; we evaluated the effectiveness and safety of

combination therapy (interferon plus ribavirin) in nonresponders or

those who relapsed after one or more courses of IFN. METHODS:

Twenty-seven patients with HCV positive mixed cryoglobulinemia were

studied. All were treated with IFN-a2b (3 MU 3 times weekly) for one

year, plus daily oral ribavirin 1000 or 1200 mg. RESULTS: Five patients

(18.5%) obtained complete recovery from viral infection and from all

signs and symptoms of disease. During treatment, most patients (85%)

improved clinically. All 5 responders were " relapsers " to the first

treatment(s).

CONCLUSION: Combination therapy of IFN plus ribavirin

could be useful for patients with mixed cryoglobulinemia resistant to

IFN as monotherapy.

PMID: 12913934

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org