High doses of recombinant α-interferon or γ-interferon for chronic hepatitis C: A randomized, controlled trial

Abstract

Chronic hepatitis C is often a progressive liver disease for which there is no satisfactory treatment. We studied the efficacy of recombinant α‐interferon or γ‐interferon in the treatment of this disease in comparison with a control group. Thirty patients were randomly assigned to three groups. Ten patients received 7.5 MU α‐interferon/m² body surface three times weekly for 3 mo, then 5 MU/m² for 3 mo and 2.5 MU/m² for 6 mo. Ten patients were treated with γ‐interferon at a dose of 2 MU/m² for 6 mo and the other 10 served as controls without treatment. The mean serum ALT levels and liver histological findings improved significantly only in the patients treated with α‐interferon. No changes were observed in patients treated with γ‐interferon or in controls. Five of 10 patients treated with α‐interferon had complete responses (mean ALT normal during therapy). After treatment ALT returned to pretreatment levels in two of 5 patients. The long‐term response rate after α‐interferon therapy was 30% at 18 mo. We conclude that α‐interferon is effective in controlling disease activity in a portion of patients with chronic hepatitis C. High doses of α‐interferon do not appear to add further benefit in the response rate or relapse rate. γ‐Interferon therapy is ineffective. (HEPATOLOGY 1991;13:327–331).