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INTERFERON THERAPY FOR CHRONIC HEPATITIS-C IN HABITUAL
DRINKERS
INTERFERON THERAPY FOR CHRONIC HEPATITIS-C IN HABITUAL DRINKERS
- COMPARISON WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS-C IN INFREQUENT DRINKERS
OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of interferon therapy for
chronic hepatitis C among habitual drinkers.METHODS: Ninety-five
hepatitis C virus ribonucleic acid-positive patientswith chronic
hepatitis were treated with four standardized regiments
ofinterferon. Patients were divided into four groups based on the
degree of dailyalcohol consumption and duration of abstinence
before treatment: 47infrequent drinkers, 12 moderate drinkers who
had consumed more than23 gm but less than 69 gm of ethanol daily
but stopped drinking for39 +/- 18 months before therapy, 19 heavy
drinkers I who hadconsumed more than 69 gm of ethanol daily but
stopped drinking for38 +/- 37 months before treatment, and 17 heavy
drinkers II whoconsumed more than 69 gm ethanol daily soon before
treatment.
RESULTS: The rate of responders, in whom serum ALT levels
remained normal for 6 months after the end of treatment, was in a
decreasing order of: infrequent drinkers (36.2%), moderate drinkers
(33.3%), heavy drinkers I (26.3%), and heavy drinkers II (5.9%) (p
< 0.05, infrequent drinkers vs heavy drinkers II). The negative
rate of serum hepatitis C virus ribonucleic acid 6 months after the
end of treatment was in a similar order (27.7%, 25.0%, 15.8%, and
0%, respectively) (p < 0.05, infrequent drinkers vs heavy
drinkers II).CONCLUSION: Heavy drinking will reduce the efficacy of
interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis C, and the adverse effect
of drinking on efficacy might be reversed, partly, by abstinence
for a long period before treatment.
Authors: OHNISHI K, SAITAMA MED SCH, DEPT MED 3,64 MOROHONGO
MOROYAMA SAITAMA 35004. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY 1996.
JUL;91(7):1374-1379 .
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