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Evidence summaries

Effect of Interferon-Alpha on Alt in Patients with Chronic C or Chronic Non-A Non-B Hepatitis

Interferon-alpha is effective in inducing ALT normalisation in chronic hepatitis C or chronic non-A non-B hepatitis. Level of evidence: "A"

A systematic review 1 including 21 studies was abstracted in DARE. At 24 weeks, 42% of patients were normalised after interferon treatment, compared with 5% of controls. At 48 weeks this figure had increased to 50% in the treated group, vs 6% of controls. The ALT normalisation rates were indentical for the two types of interferon-alpha. The probability of achieving remission with treatment and maintaining remission after drug discontinuation is 17.4% at 24 weeks after IFN-alpha therapy.

    References

    • Bardelli F, Messori A, Rampazzo R, Alberti A, Martini N. Effect of recombinant or lymphoblastoid interferon-alpha on alanine aminotransferase in patients with chronic C or chronic non-A non-B hepatitis: a meta-analysis. Drug Investigation 1995;9:239-254. [DARE]

Primary/Secondary Keywords