Peginterferon α-2a and ribavirin treatment of patients with haemophilia and hepatitis C virus infection: a single-centre study of 367 cases

Background/aims Chronic hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) is a major comorbidity in patients with haemophilia. Peginterferon alpha and ribavirin is current standard anti-HCV thrapy but there is little information about safety and efficacy of peginterferon alpha-2a and ribavirin combination therapy in these patients. Material and methods In an open-label single-treatment arm cohort study, 367 haemophilia patients seronegative for hepatitis B and human immunodeficiency virus markers and chronically infected with HCV (HCV RNA > 50 IU/ml for at least 6 months) received 180 mu g of Pegasys (R) and 800-1200 mg of ribavirin according to body weight. Genotypes 1 and 4, mixed and untypable infections were treated for 48 weeks, while genotypes 2 and 3 were treated for 24 weeks. The efficacy of therapy was expressed as sustained virological response (SVR). Results Two hundred and twenty-five subjects [61%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 56-66] achieved SVR, 66 patients relapsed and 30 subjects did not respond and nine patients developed breakthrough during treatment. In a multivariate logistic regression model, age < 24 odds ratio (OR)=1.8 (95% CI 1.1-3.1), genotype non-1 OR=1.8 (95% CI 1.1-3.2), BMI < 25 OR=2.1 (95% CI 1.3-3.3) and HCV RNA < 600 000 IU/ml OR=1.7 (95% CI 1.1-3.2) were independent predictors of SVR. Eight patients discontinued the treatment because of persistent neutropaenia and 22 subjects were dropped out because of intractable side effects. Furthermore, two patients died during treatment and five were lost to follow-up after treatment cessation. Conclusions Peginterferon alpha-2a in combination with weight-based ribavirin has SVR rate of 51% for genotype 1 and 71% for genotype non-1 infections in haemophilia patients. Age < 24, BMI < 25, viral load < 600 000 IU/ml and genotype non-1 are the major determinants of SVR achievement in these patients.