RAPID COMMUNICATION Efficacy and safety of pegylated-interferon a-2a in hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C

Abstract

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of pegylatedinterferon alpha-2a in hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C. METHODS: Thirty-six hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C were enrolled in a controlled and prospective study. All patients were treatment naive, positive tested for anti-HCV antibodies, and positive tested for serum HCV-RNA. Twenty-two patients received 135 μg peglyated-interferon a-2a weekly for 48 wk (group A). The remaining patients were left untreated, eleven refused therapy, and three were not candidates for kidney transplantation and were allocated to the control group (group B). At the end of the treatment biochemical and virological response was evaluated, and 24 wk afte