Comparision of the Side Effects Due To Interferon Alpha 2A Plus Ribavirin and Pegylated Interferon Alpha 2A Plus Ribavirin Combinations For Chronic Hepatitis C Infection

Objectives: Comparision of the side effects due to interferon alpha 2a plus ribavirin and pegylated interferon alpha 2a plus ribavirin combinations for chronic hepatitis C infection. Patients and Methods: In this study, 36 patients, who received interferon alpha 2a, 3 million U, subcutaneously thrice weekly plus oral ribavirin 1000-1200 mg daily were compared with 49 patients, who received pegylated interferon alpha 2a 180 mu gr, subcutaneously once weekly plus oral ribavirin 1000-1200 mg daily with respect to side effects. Results: Lack of appetite, headache and fatigue were more frequent in pegylated interferon alpha group, and these differences between groups were statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: In our study the treatment is discontinued in two patients who received interferon plus ribavirin (anemia in one, both anemia and thrombocytopenia in the other) and three patients, who were treated with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin (anemia in one, both anemia and thrombocytopenia in one and psychiatric problems in the other).

Amaç: Kronik hepatit C infeksiyonunda interferon alfa 2a ve ribavirin, pegile interferon alfa 2a ve ribavirin kombinasyonuna bağlı oluşan yan etkiler karşılaştırıldı. Hastalar ve Yöntemler: Bu çalışmada, haftada üç kez 3 milyon U subkutan interferon alfa 2a ve 1000-1200 mg/gün oral ribavirin alan 36 hasta ile haftada bir subkutan 180 µgr pegile interferon alfa 2a ve 1000-1200 mg/gün oral ribavirin alan 49 hasta ile ilişkili yan etkiler karşılaştırıldı. Bulgular: Pegile interferon alfa grubunda en sık görülen yan etkiler iştahsızlık, baş ağrısı, ve yorgunluktur. Bu fark gruplar arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlıdır (p<0.05). Sonuç: Çalışmamızda interferon ve ribavirin alan 2 hastada (bir hastada anemi, diğer hastada anemi ve trombositopeni) pegile interferon ve ribavirin alan üç hastada (bir hastada anemi, bir hastada anemi ve trombositopeni, diğerinde psikiyatrik problemler) tedavi kesildi.