Recombinant alfa-interferon plus ribavirin therapy in children and adolescents with chronic hepatitis C

摘要: Treatment with alfa-interferon alone yielded poor results in children chronic hepatitis C and was not generally recommended. Owing to limited experience combination therapy children, the aim of study evaluate efficacy tolerability 2b ribavirin these patients different routes viral transmission. In an uncontrolled pilot study, 41 adolescents ranging from 3 16 years were treated at a dose or 5 MU/m2 times weekly oral (15 mg/kg/d) for 12 months. The mode infection unknown 4, parenterally transmitted 16, vertically 21 children. Forty completed study. Eleven who remained virus (HCV)-RNA positive 6 months after beginning, discontinued therapy. One boy stopped treatment because side effects. At end 25 HCV-RNA negative (61%). All individuals during 6-month follow-up period. Nine 15 parenteral (56.3%), 14 vertical (66.6%), 2 4 route responded. Side effects included minor clinical signs such as fever, flu-like symptoms, anorexia, more severe (21.4%) development thyroid autoantibodies impairment function. conclusion, seems be important advance adolescents. This also is true both infected normal transaminase levels before (HEPATOLOGY 2002;36:1280-1284.)