Interferon-beta plus ribavirin therapy can be safely and effectively administered to elderly patients with chronic hepatitis C

Abstract Aim This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of interferon-beta plus ribavirin therapy in older Japanese patients. Patients and methods This study enrolled 132 older patients (age, ≥65 years) with chronic hepatitis C who received 24–48 weeks of interferon-beta plus ribavirin (FR; n = 66) or pegylated interferon-alpha plus ribavirin (PR; n = 66) therapy. Results Patients with the ITPA genotype (CA/AA) in the PR group had significantly greater decreases in hemoglobin levels than those in the FR group at or after week 8. The proportions of patients with a dose reduction of interferon-beta and ribavirin in the FR group were significantly lower than those in the PR group. A significantly higher proportion of patients completed treatment in the FR group than in the PR group. The sustained virological response (intention-to-treat analysis) rate of naïve patients with genotype 1 was 29% (6 of 21) in the PR group and 29% (6 of 21) in the FR group. The sustained virological response (intention-to-treat) rate of those with genotype 2 was 67% (12 of 18) in the PR group and 72% (13 of 18) in the FR group. Conclusion Interferon-beta plus ribavirin therapy was safe in elderly patients, with lower proportions of patients with a dose reduction of interferon-beta or ribavirin and treatment discontinuation. In treatment-naïve patients, the sustained virological response rate was similar between interferon-beta plus ribavirin therapy and pegylated interferon-alpha plus ribavirin therapy, regardless of whether the patients had hepatitis C virus genotype 1 or 2.