Abstract
Thirty patients affected by hemophilia A or B or von-Willebrand's disease and chronic posttransfusional active HCV hepatitis who developed major side effects during the course of a previous treatment with recombinant interferon-α (IFN-α) were studied. In all patients IFN-α therapy had to be discontinued and those who achieved a primary serologic and viral response to HCV relapsed within a few months. After a washout period, patients were retreated with human leukocyte IFN-α, 6 MU thrice weekly for 12 months. In about 90% of patients, a primary response, with normal AST and GGT values and undetectable HCV-RNA, was achieved within the third month of treatment and for the entire duration of treatment none of the patients had to discontinue therapy because of severe adverse reactions. During posttherapy follow-up only one patient relapsed. The human leukocyte IFN-α regimen looks to be very effective and safe for carriers of inherited clotting disorders who developed major side effects with recombinant IFN-α therapy for HCV-related chronic hepatitis.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Makris M, Presion FE, Rosendaal FR, Underwood JCE, Rice KM, Triger GM: The natural history of chronic Hepatitis C in haemophiliacs. Br J Haematol 94:746–752, 1996
Telfer PT, Devereux H, Savage K, Scott F, Dhillon AP, Dusheiko GM, Lee CA: Chronic hepatitis C virus infection in haemophilic patients: Clinical significance of viral phenotype. Thromb Hemostas 74:1259–1264, 1995
Darby SC, Ewart DW, Giangrande PLF, Spooner RJD, Rizza CR, Dusheiko GM, Lee CA, Ludiam CA, Preston FE: Mortality from liver cancer and liver disease in haemophilic men and boys in UK given blood products contamined with hepatitis C. Lancet 350:1425–1430, 1995
Tradati F, Colombo M, Mannucci PM, Rumi MG, De Fazio C, Gamba G, Ciavarella N, Rocino A, Morfini M, Scaraggi A, Taioli E, Study Group of the Association of Italian Haemophilia Centres: A prospective multicenter study of hepatocellular carcinoma in Italian haemophiliacs with chronic hepatitis C. Blood 91:1173–1177, 1998
Marcellin P, Boyen N, Behamou JP, Erlinger S: Interferon-α therapy for chronic hepatitis C in special patient population. Dig Dis Sci 41:126S–130S, 1996
Pockros PJ, Bain VG, Hunter EB: A comparison of RT-PCR and bDNA assays for hepatitis C virus in patients receiving interferon treatment. J Viral Hepatitis 6:145–150, 1999
Wong VS, Baglin T, Beacham E, Wight DD, Petrik J, Alexander GJM: The role of liver biopsy in haemophiliacs infected with the hepatitis C virus. Br J Hematol 97:343–347, 1997
Lee CA: Investigations of chronic hepatitis C infection in individuals with haemophilia. Br J Hematol 96:425–426, 1997
Toccaceli F, Rosati S, Scuderi M, Iacomi F, Picconi R, Laghi V: Leukocyte and platelet lowering by some interferon types during viral hepatitis treatment. Hepato-Gastroenterology 45:1748–1752, 1998
Colombatto P, Oliveri F, Leandro G, Baldi M, Capalbo M, Rocca G, Brunetto MR, Bonino F: Platelet and white blood cell counts during therapy with different types of alpha interferon in patients with chronic viral hepatitis. Ital J Gastroenterol Hepatol 29:441–447, 1997
Malaguarnera M, Di Fazio I, Restuccia S, Pistone G, Ferlito L, Rampello L: Interferon alpha-induced depression in chronic hepatitis C patients: Comparison between different types of interferon alpha. Neuropsycobiology 37:93–97, 1998
Colvicchi F, Magnanimi S, Sebastiani F, Silvestri R, Magnanimi R: Incidence of electrocardiographic abnormalities during treatment with human leukocyte interferon alpha in patients with chronic hepatitis C but without pre-existing cardiovascular disease. Curr Thera Res 59:692–696, 1998
Benci A, Caremani M, Menchetti D, Sasdelli M, Giusti PB: Low dose leukocyte interferon-α therapy in dialysed patients with chronic hepatitis C. Curr Med Res Opin 14:141–144, 1998
Mauser-Bunschoten EP, Damen M, Reesink HW, Rosendaal G, Chamullen RA, Van Den Berg MH: Formation of antibodies to factor VIII in patients with haemophilia A who are treated with interferon for chronic hepatitis C. Ann Intern Med 125:297–299, 1996
Scotto G, Grimaldi MG: Effectiveness of leukocyte interferon-α treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C not responsive to recombinant Interferon. Dig Dis Sci 43:2173–2176, 1998
Gaeta GB, Di Virgilio D, Russo G, Stornaiolo G, Nicolella U, Colella F, Grimaldi M, Pasquale G, Giusti G: Human leukocyte interferon-α in chronic hepatitis C resistent to recombinant or lymphoblastoid interferon-α: A randomised controlled trial. J Viral Hepatitis 4:209–214, 1997
Casato M, Antonelli O, Maggi F, Pucillo LP, Di Lullo L, Leoni M, Currenti M, Dianzani F, Bonomo L: Resistence to recombinant alpha interferon therapy in idiopathic mixed cryoglobulinemia: reinduction of remission by natural alpha interferon both in antibody positive and negative patients. J Biol Regul Homeos Agents 8:56–59, 1994.
Cacopardo B, Benanti F, Brancati G, Romano F, Nunnari A: Leukocyte interferon α retreatment for chronic hepatitis C patients previously intolerant to other interferons. J Viral Hepatitis 5: 333–339, 1998.
Viscomi GG, Grimaldi M, Palazzini E, Silvestri S: Human leukocyte interferon alpha: Structure, pharmacology and therapeutic applications. Med Res Rev 15:445–478, 1995
Hanley JP, Jarvis LM, Simmonds P, Ludlam CA: Development of anti-interferon antibodies and break through hepatitis during treatment for HCV infection in haemophiliacs Br J Haematol 94:551–556, 1996
Rumi MG, Santagostino E, Morfini M, Gringeri A, Tagariello G, Chistolini A, Pontisso P, Tagger A, Colombo M, Mannucci PM, Hepatitis Study Group of the Association of Italian Haemophilia Centers: A multicenter controlled randomised open trial of interferon-α2b treatment of anti-human immunodeficiency virus negative haemophilic patients with chronic hepatitis C. Blood 89:3529–3533, 1997
Chemello L, Bonetti P, Cavalletto L, Talato F, Donadon V, Casarin P, Belusi F, Frezza M, Noventa F, Pontisso P, Benevegnu L, Casarin C, Alberti A: Randomised trial comparing three different regimens of α2a-interferon in chronic hepatitis C. Hepatology 22:700–708, 1995
Pinilla J, Quintana M, Magallon M: High dose long-term therapy of _interferon in haemophiliac patients with chronic C virus hepatitis. Blood 91:727–728, 1998
Santagostino E, Colombo M, Cultraro D, Muca-Perja M, Gringeri A, Mannucci PM: High prevalence of serum cryoglobulins in multitransfused haemophilic patients with chronic hepatitis C. Blood 91:516–519, 1998
McHutchison JG, Gordon SC, Schiff ER, Shiffamn ML, Lee WM, Rustgi VK, Goodman ZD, Ling MH, Cort S, Albrecht JK: Interferon alpha-2b alone or in combination with ribavirin as initial treatment for chronic hepatitis C. N Engl J Med 339:1485–1492, 1998
Davis GL, Esteban-Mur R, Rustgi V, Hoefs J, Gordon SC, Shiffman ML, Zenzem S, Craxi A, Ling MH, Albrecht J: Alpha 2b interferon alone or in combination with ribavirin for retreatment of interferon relapse of chronic hepatitis C. International hepatitis interventional therapy group. N Engl J Med 339:1493–1499, 1998
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dughera, L., Battaglia, E., Serra, A.M. et al. Human Leukocyte Interferon-α Treatment for Chronic HCV-Related Hepatitis in Hemophilic Patients Previously Intolerant to Other Interferons-α. Dig Dis Sci 47, 427–431 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013798812144
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013798812144