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Sustained virological response rates and health-related quality of life after interferon and ribavirin therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection and persistently normal alanine aminotransferase levels.

Bini EJ, Mehandru S

Department of Medicine and Division of Gastroenterology, VA New York Harbor Healthcare System and NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10010, USA. edmund.bini@med.va.gov

BACKGROUND: Few studies have evaluated interferon and ribavirin therapy in hepatitis C virus-infected patients with persistently normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. AIM: To determine the efficacy and safety of combination therapy in this population, and to evaluate the impact of treatment on health-related quality of life. METHODS: Forty-six hepatitis C virus-infected patients with persistently normal ALT levels and 92 matched subjects with elevated ALT levels were treated with interferon-alpha2b plus ribavirin for up to 48 weeks. Health-related quality of life was measured prior to therapy and 24 weeks after completion of treatment using the Hepatitis Quality of Life Questionnaire. RESULTS: Overall, 32.6% of patients with normal ALT levels and 28.3% of those with elevated ALT levels had undetectable hepatitis C virus RNA at 24 weeks after completion of treatment (P = 0.60). Three patients in the normal ALT group had mild transient ALT elevations during therapy. Compared with baseline, treatment was associated with significant improvements in nearly all domains of health-related quality of life in both groups of patients. CONCLUSIONS: In hepatitis C virus-infected patients with persistently normal ALT levels, interferon-alpha and ribavirin therapy is efficacious, safe, and associated with significant improvements in health-related quality of life.

Published 24 March 2006 in Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 23(6): 777-85.
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