Discontinuation of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin in patients who are not responding to therapy - patients' views of early cessation of therapy
D'Souza, R., Main, J., Crossey, M., Rosenberg, W., Murray-Lyon, I.M., Hayward, C. and Foster, G.R. (2005) Discontinuation of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin in patients who are not responding to therapy - patients' views of early cessation of therapy. Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 21, (1), 43-47. (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2036.2004.02295.x).
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Description/Abstract
Background: Current therapy for chronic hepatitis C infection involves a course of pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Patients who do not show a virological response after 12 weeks of therapy have a low probability of sustained virological response and it is therefore recommended that such patients stop treatment.
Aim: To assess patients' views of early treatment cessation.
Methods: We conducted a open-labelled study in three UK centres, in which patients with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis C requiring therapy were offered the choice of a full course of therapy with 40 kDa pegylated interferon-α 2a plus ribavirin (24 or 48 weeks depending on viral genotype) or early cessation if therapy had failed after 12 weeks.
Results: Ninety-five participants were enrolled and the majority (69%) did not wish to discontinue therapy even if it had low probability of success. In this unselected UK population, very few patients (4%) did not achieve an early virological response with the 40-kDa pegylated interferon-α 2a plus ribavirin and two of the four early virological non-responders decided to continue therapy.
Conclusion: Early discontinuation of 'ineffective' anti-viral therapy may prove less popular with patients than with health care providers, and further patient-directed education regarding the cost-effectiveness of therapy will be needed if early discontinuation of unsuccessful therapy is to be accepted by patients.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| ISSNs: | 0269-2813 (print) |
| Related URLs: | |
| Subjects: | Q Science > QR Microbiology > QR355 Virology R Medicine > RM Therapeutics. Pharmacology |
| Divisions: | University Structure - Pre August 2011 > School of Medicine > Infection, Inflammation and Repair |
| Item ID: | 27010 |
| Date Deposited: | 25 Apr 2006 |
| Last Modified: | 02 Mar 2012 13:27 |
| Contributors: | D'Souza, R. (Author) Main, J. (Author) Crossey, M. (Author) Rosenberg, W. (Author) Murray-Lyon, I.M. (Author) Hayward, C. (Author) Foster, G.R. (Author) |
| Date: | 2005 |
| Status: | Published |
| Contact Email Address: | wmr@soton.ac.uk |
| URI: | http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/27010 |
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