Background: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) virus infection in patients with cirrhosis is difficult totreat. There is limited data on the outcome of treatment for genotype 3 HCV infection withcirrhosis.
Aims: To determine sustained virological response (SVR) and its predictive factors in patientswith cirrhosis due to genotype 3 HCV infection treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin(RBV).
Methods: Consecutive patients with compensated cirrhosis due to HCV genotype 3 withpositive HCV RNA treated with peg-IFN and RBV in our Gastroenterology Clinics duringNovember 2005 to December 2006 were included in this study. Cirrhosis was diagnosed onthe basis of liver biopsy and/or biochemical testing and ultrasound of abdomen. Primary endpoint of treatment was SVR.
Results: Of 66 patients, 32 (48.5%) were male. The mean age was 46.2±10.1 years; therewere 61 (92.4%) patients with Child’s A cirrhosis followed by 5 (7.6%) with Child’s B type. 33(50%) patients received pegylated interferon alfa-2a (180 µg/wk) with ribavirin and 33 (50%)received pegylated interferon alfa 2b (1 µg /kg/week) with ribavirin. EVR was achieved in 44(66.7%), and ETR in 46 (69.7%); overall SVR was achieved in 38 (57.6%) patients. Factorspredictive of SVR were age (p value = 0.03), treatment naïve status (p value = 0.04) and EVR(p value<0.001). Five patients were unable to complete the treatment due to side effects orcytopenias.
Conclusions: Treatment of patients with HCV genotype 3, compensated cirrhosis, withpegylated interferon and ribavirin is effective and well tolerated.