Safety of pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy for chronic hepatitis C in patients with sickle cell anemia

AIM: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of combined pegylated interferon and ribavirin for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (HCV) in patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA). METHODS: Fifty-two patients with SCA and HCV were treated over a period of 7 years from June 2002 to July 2009. Their medical records were reviewed for: age at treatment, sex, body mass index, Hb level at the start of therapy and on follow-up, hemoglobin electrophoresis, liver function tests, G6PD level, LDH, bilirubin, HCV-RNA viral load, HCV genotype, liver biopsy, duration of treatment, and side effects. All were treated with pegylated interferon and a standard dose of ribavirin. The treatment was continued for 24 wk for those with genotype 2 and 3 and for 48 wk for those with genotype 1 and 4. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients (30 females and 22 males) were treated. Their mean age was 29.5 years (range 15-54 years). HCV genotype was determined in 48 and 15 had liver biopsy. Their mean pre-treatment HCV-RNA viral load was 986330 IU/mL (range 12762-3329282 IU/mL). The liver biopsy showed grade. in 6 and grade. in 9 and stage. in 13 and stage. in 2. Only 8 were receiving hydroxyurea at the time of treatment. All tolerated the treatment well and none experienced a decrease in their Hb which required blood trans-fusion pre, during or after therapy. There were no hematological side effects attributable to ribavirin at the usual recommended dose. Thirty-seven (71.2%) achieved SVR at 6 mo after the end of treatment. The remaining 15 were non-responders. Two of them showed an ETR but had a relapse. The remaining 13 had a relatively significant HCV-RNA viral load with a mean HCV-RNA viral load of 1829741.2 IU/mL (900000-3329282 IU/mL) and eight of them had HCV genotype 1, four had HCV genotype 4, and one had HCV genotype 5. CONCLUSION: Patients with SCA and HCV can be treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin at the usual recommended dose. This is even so in those who are not receiving hydroxyurea. The treatment is safe and effective and the response rate is comparable to those without SCA. (C) 2010 Baishideng. All rights reserved.