Predictors of Complete Early Virological Response to Pegylated Interferon and Ribavirin in Egyptian Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Genotype 4

Gamal El Din Esmat Gamil, Maissa El Said El Raziky, Rabab Maamoun Salama, Wafaa Ahmed El Akel, Waleed Fouad Fathalah, Dina Ismail Attia

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Endemic Medicine and Hepatology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.

DOI: 10.4236/aid.2013.32012                

Abstract

We aim to determine the baseline factors associated with partial and cEVR by analyzing the data of 1861 Egyptian patients treated for 12 weeks with a course of Peg-IFN plus RBV. Base line data of 1861 Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C coming at Cairo-Fatemic Hospital for HCV treatment were studied including full clinical, Ultrasonographic examination, laboratory evaluation and liver biopsy. The most significant variables in relation to complete early virological response were low Hb level (<13 gm/dl) with p < 0.01, the stage of fibrosis p value < 0.05 and the grades of inflammation p value < 0.05 were associated with less achievement of c EVR. We conclude that identifying the most significant predictors of response such as Hb, stage of fibrosis F, at baseline before initiating treatment is mandatory to predict which patient will be more expected to achieve a cEVR and thus reducing the side-effects and healthcare costs associated with interferon therapies.

Keywords

Predictors of Response; cEVR; HCV Treatment; Peg IFN/Ribavirin

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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