Background/aims: Because the effects of interferon in the presence and absence of cirrhosis are still debated in chronic active hepatitis type non-A, non-B, C (NANB/C), the aim of this study was to determine to what extent the presence of cirrhosis influences the response to interferon.
Methods: We compared the response to interferon alfa in 108 patients with chronic active hepatitis NANB/C with or without cirrhosis. The patients were randomly assigned to one of the two regimens: one group received 6 months of interferon 3 MU 3 times weekly, while the second group received a 12-month course, 3 MU three times weekly during the first 6 months, 2 MU for the following 3 months, and 1 MU for the last 3 months.
Results: In both regimens, the proportion of patients with normal alanine aminotransferase at the end of treatment was significantly lower in the cirrhotic than in the noncirrhotic patients. In males, abnormal serum alkaline phosphatase levels and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase were also related to a lesser response independent of cirrhosis. The response at the end of treatment was not significantly different between the two regimens in either the cirrhotic or the noncirrhotic patients. However, the 12-month regimen gave a significantly higher rate of sustained response 6 months after the end of treatment in patients without cirrhosis.
Conclusions: It is suggested that the presence of cirrhosis markedly reduces the rate of response to interferon and that in noncirrhotic patients, a 1-year treatment regimen could improve the beneficial effect of interferon.