Addition of pentoxifylline to pegylated interferon-alpha-2a and ribavirin improves sustained virological response to chronic hepatitis C virus: a randomized clinical trial
Journal Title: Annals of Hepatology - Year 2013, Vol 12, Issue 2
Abstract
[b]Background and aim.[/b] The commonly accepted treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, pegylated interferon alpha (PEG INF-alpha) and ribavirin, leads to 50-60% of sustained virological response (SVR). On the other hand, pentoxifylline (PTX) possesses antiviral and hepatoprotector properties. [b]Aim[/b]. To investigate whether the addition of PTX to conventional hepatitis C treatment increases SVR. [b]Material and methods. [/b]Seventy two patients of both genders were studied in a randomized fashion; the diagnosis of chronic HCV infection was made according to clinical and laboratory criteria and histopathologically classified according to METAVIR scoring system criteria. HCV viral load was tested by PCR, baseline, and after 6 months of treatment, as well as anti-HCV, anti-hepatitis B virus , and anti-human immunodeficiency virus antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. During 48 weeks, control group patients were treated with PEG INFalpha- 2a plus ribavirin. PTX was administered to Experimental Group patients prior to the treatment. [b]Results[/b]. Demographic data were similar in both groups. Experimental- and control-group subjects were at F2 and F3 states according to the METAVIR classification. The most common HCV genotypes were 1a and 1b (39% in the control group in each case, and 42% in the experimental group in each case). At the end of the study, hepatic enzymes and viral load decreased in both groups to similar values. SVR in the experimental group increased significantly (p < 0.05) when compared with standard therapy alone. [b]Conclusion[/b]. Addition of PTX to conventional chronic hepatitis C treatment may increase the percentage of patients with SVR.
Authors and Affiliations
Miguel Jiménez-Luévano, José Lerma-Díaz, Georgina Hernández-Flores, Alejandro Bravo-Cuellar
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP78258
- DOI -
- Views 113
- Downloads 0
Plasma cytokine levels imbalance in cirrhotic patients with impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus. A prospective study
Aims. To define if there is an imbalance in plasma levels of proinflammatory, fibrogenic and antifibrogenic cytokines in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or diabetes mellitus (DM)....
Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor for acute-on-chronic liver failure: systematic review and meta-analysis
Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is associated with increased short and long-term mortality. Animal models of liver failure have demonstrated that granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) accelerates the liver...
Factors associated with spontaneous HBsAg clearance in chronic hepatitis B patients followed at a university hospital
Introduction. Few studies have evaluated the factors involved in the spontaneous HBsAg seroclearance in patients with chronic hepatitis B (HBV) followed up on a long-term basis from areas with a low prevalence of HBV inf...
Which is the real genotype distribution of hepatitis C virus infection in Mexico?
Pitfall alveolar echinococcosis in non-endemic areas Alveolar echinococcosis migrating northward
Alveolar echinococcosis of the liver can be mistaken as a liver tumor. The occurrence of the fox tapeworm echinococcus multilocularis is increasing in formerly unaffected European regions. As a consequence, alveolar echi...