Introduction:The objective of this study is to assess the impact of the tolerance to the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis C on the virological response
Methods:Retrospective study of cases of chronic hepatitis C treated with combination therapy in our department. Data were collected and analyzed from the registry of patients treated and monitored for chronic hepatitis C.
Results:101 were included. The average age was 57.4 years [17-80]. We have selected for the evaluation of virologic response 88 patients who completed treatment and follow-up. Mortality secondary to treatment was 0.8%. The sustained viral response was 38% in case of occurrence of side effects leading to reduction or discontinuation of anti viral treatment versus 51.6% in their absence (p= 0,18). Discontinuation of antiviral treatment for side effects is observed in 7% of cases: 2% when the treatment duration is 24 weeks and 5% when the duration treatment is 48 weeks. In addition, there was a decrease in dose of pegylated interferon and or ribavirin in 21.7% of cases: 10% when the duration is 24 weeks and in 11.8% of cases when the duration is 48 weeks. The decrease of treatment interested more pegylated interferon that ribavirin at 24 weeks (31.8% versus 27.2%) but the decrease at 48 weeks interested more ribavirin that pegylated interferon (45.4% versus 22.7%).
Conclusion: The side effects of pegylated interferon and ribavirin were multiple and sometimes serious. We were obliged to stop the treatment or to reduce posology in, respectively 7% and 22% of the cases. The latter had a weak SVR compared to those which had not presented side effects having required the reduction antiviral treatment (38% vs 52%; p= 0,18).