%0 Journal Article
%T Efficacy of pegylated interferon ¦Á-2a and ¦Á-2b in patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C: a meta-analysis
%A Coppola Nicola
%A Pisaturo Mariantonietta
%A Tonziello Gilda
%A Sagnelli Caterina
%J BMC Infectious Diseases
%D 2012
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1471-2334-12-357
%X Background Two formulations of Pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN) are on the market for treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to assess the efficacy of Peg-IFN ¦Á-2a versus Peg-IFN ¦Á-2b in combination with ribavirin in anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative patients with genotype 1 chronic HCV infection. Methods The following criteria were to be met for inclusion in the meta-analysis: (a) original data from randomized and non-randomized clinical trials; (b) study on the efficacy of conventional doses of Peg-IFN ¦Á-2a (180 ¦Ìg/week) versus Peg-IFN ¦Á-2b (1.5 ¦Ìg/kg of body weight/week), both in combination with ribavirin, in antiviral therapy-na ve HCV-genotype 1 subjects; (c) at least one of these primary outcomes: Rapid Virological Response (RVR); Early Complete Virological Response (EVR); End of Treatment Response (ETR); Sustained Virological Response (SVR); (d) odds ratio estimates of relative risk (RR) and associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) or at least data enabling them to be computed; (e) English language; and (f) published as a full paper up to December 2011. Results Seven published studies met the inclusion criteria, allowing a meta-analysis on 3,026 patients. Peg-IFN ¦Á-2a and Peg-IFN ¦Á-2b showed similar rate of RVR (RR = 1.05; 95% CI = 0.87-1.27, p = 0.62) and SVR (RR = 1.08; 95% CI = 0.99-1.18, p = 0.098). Peg-IFN ¦Á-2a more frequently than Peg-IFN ¦Á-2b achieved EVR (RR = 1.11; 95% CI = 1.02-1.21, p = 0.013) and ETR (RR = 1.22; 95% CI = 1.14-1.31, p < 0.0001). Conclusion The standard schedules of Peg-IFN ¦Á-2a and Peg-IFN ¦Á-2b, both in combination with ribavirin, can be used indifferently for patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 who are anti- to eliminate HIV-negative and antiviral treatment-na ve.
%K Antiviral therapy in HCV patients
%K Meta-analysis
%K Response to anti-HCV therapy
%K Tolerability of anti-HCV therapy
%U http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/12/357