END TREATMENT VIROLOGICAL RESPONSE IN NON-RESPONDER TO CONVENTIONAL THERAPY: USE OF PEGYLATED INTERFERONE IN HCV GENOTYPE 3 PATIENTS

ABSTRACT
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of all chronic liver disease which affecting the approximate 160 million population
globally. As per WHO reported data, the HCV disease burden in Pakistan reaches to 4.9%.
Method: The study was conducted with 147 patients in Medical out-patient of Saidu Teaching Hospital Swat. After
taking informed consent, the cross-sectional data was collected post completion of pegylated interferon alfa-2a at a
dose of 180ug weekly with a weight-based dosage of ribavirin (For < 75 kg: 1000 mg/day, For > 75 kg: 1200 mg/day).
Patient included as per eligibility criteria, both gender aged 18-60years with chronic hepatitis C genotype 3 patients
and non-responders to 24-week therapy of interferon and ribavirin. End of Treatment Virological Response (ETR) was
observed in patients who had the end of treatment qualitative PCR. The collected data were analyzed through SPSS
v. 20.0.
Results: The mean (± SD) age of HCV patients was 34.7 (± 8.38) with a range of 21-49 years. In all, 109 (74%) were
males, 38 (25.9%) were females. Out of all, 28 (19%) patients were diabetic and 21 (14%) were Chronic Renal Failure.
There was no patient found with ischemic heart disease and with thyroid disease.
Out of 147 patients, end treatment response was achieved in 119 (81%) patients. In this study, ETR was found significantly
associated at p=0.007 with less than 40 years of age and 85% ETR was achieved in non-chronic renal failure
patients (p=0.003)
Conclusion: Pegylated interferon alfa2b plus weight-based ribavirin is effective especially in the younger age population
and non- chronic renal failure patients.