Asian Patients Appear to Respond Better than Whites to Pegylated Interferon Plus Ribavirin for Hepatitis C

As reported in the July 19, 2007 advance online edition of the American Journal of Gastroenterology, researchers with the Canadian Pegasys Expanded Access Group conducted a study to determine whether Asian race/ethnicity is an independent predictor of response to antiviral therapy in patients with hepatitis C.

Studies have shown that African-American patients do not respond as well as whites to interferon-based treatment for hepatitis C, but there is less evidence regarding response rates in other racial/ethnic groups.

The investigators retrospectively analyzed data from treatment-naive hepatitis C patients in a large multicenter study of combination antiviral therapy using 180 mcg/week pegylated interferon alfa-2a (Pegasys) plus 800 mg daily ribavirin.

Results

• Sustained virological response (SVR), or continued undetectable HCV RNA 24 weeks after completion of therapy, occurred in 65% of 52 Asian patients, compared with 45% of 384 white patients (P= 0.0047).
• In a multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusting for other factors associated with treatment response, Asian race/ethnicity remained an independent predictor of sustained response (odds ratio 2.22).
• Other independent predictors of SVR included HCV genotype, body mass index, degree of hepatic fibrosis, and adherence to ribavirin.

In conclusion, the authors wrote, "Asians are more likely to achieve an SVR to treatment with peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin than whites with chronic hepatitis C, suggesting a genetic influence on the antiviral response."

08/14/07

Reference

S Missiha, J Heathcote, T Arenovich, and others (for the Canadian Pegasys Expanded Access Group). Impact of Asian Race on Response to Combination Therapy With Peginterferon Alfa-2a and Ribavirin in Chronic Hepatitis C. American Journal of Gastroenterology. July 19, 2007 [Epub ahead of print].