ABU NOEM FAROOQUI, SYED LAYEEQ AHMAD, FARAH ASAD MANSURI.

ABSTRACT

Objective: The study was conducted to observe the response of mono-therapy with Interferon g in Hepatitis C patients. A second objective was to determine the efficacy of the combination therapy with INF u and Ribavarin in the non-responders.

Methods: Thirty patients having Hepatitis C (HCV) infection were included in the study during the year 1998 and 1999. All the patients were initially started on INF u alone for 24 weeks and then those who did not respond to this mono-therapy, were treated upon with combination therapy. Finally the two groups were analyzed to prove efficacy of the treatment modalities.

Results: After 24 weeks of mono-therapy with INF u, three out of 30 patients( 10%) could be normalized biochemically while the rest 27 were shifted onto combination therapy with INF u and Ribovarin. Seventeen patients (56.7%) showed normal ALT after 24 weeks of combination therapy. Whereas 9 patients (30.33%) were identified as non-responders and placed on Induction therapy, out of which only 2 patients had sustained virological and biochemical response after 48 weeks of therapy.

Conclusion: The combination of INF a and Ribovarin for hepatitis C shows a 5 times more sustained biological (SBR) and virological response (SVR) as compared to monotherapy. This combination should be further evaluated for patients in the developing countries where cost effectiveness is of dire importance.

For Full text contact to:
Prof. Dr. Farah Mansuri
editor@annals-ashkmdc.org

Department of Internal Medicine,Abbasi Shaheed Hospital,Karachi. *
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Karachi Medical & Dental College, Karachi *
Assistant Professor, Department of CHS, Karachi Medical & Dental College, Karachi *