NIH Clinical Research Studies

Protocol Number: 03-DK-0136

Active Accrual, Protocols Recruiting New Patients

Title:
Low Dose Peginterferon and Ribavirin Therapy for Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Infected with Genotype 2 or 3
Number:
03-DK-0136
Summary:
This study will examine the effectiveness of low-dose peginterferon and ribavirin therapy for certain patients with chronic hepatitis C-a liver disease that, in some patients, can progress to cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer, and liver failure. This disease is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). There are six major strains, or genotypes, of HCV. Patients infected with genotypes 2 and 3 respond better and more quickly to the standard treatment for this disease-high-dose peginterferon and ribavirin for 24 to 48 weeks-than do patients with other genotypes. Although the side effects of these medications are more severe at higher doses, patients with all genotypes, including genotypes 2 and 3, currently receive the same standard treatment. This study will examine whether patients infected with HCV genotypes 2 and 3 will respond equally well, and with fewer side effects, to lower doses of peginterferon and ribavirin given for a shorter period of time.

Patients 18 years of age and older with chronic hepatitis C genotype 2 or 3 may be eligible for this study. Each candidate will be screened with a medical history, physical examination, blood tests, and liver ultrasound. Patients who have not had a chest x-ray or electrocardiogram within a year of entering the study will have those tests as well. Additional tests, such as eye examination, hearing test, stress test, or others, will be done if deemed necessary because of the individual's particular medical condition or risk factors for side effects of therapy.

Participants will be admitted to the NIH Clinical Center for 1 day for supervised administration of the first doses of peginterferon and ribavirin and 24-hour observation. The treatment regimen consists of two capsules of ribavirin twice a day every day and an injection of peginterferon under the skin once a week. Patients will return to the clinic at 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 weeks after the first dose of therapy for a brief medical history and physical examination, blood test, and check on hepatitis symptoms and treatment side effects. Women capable of becoming pregnant will also have a pregnancy test at each visit.

Patients will be tested for HCV levels after 12 weeks of therapy. Those who are negative for the virus at that time will continue therapy for another 12 weeks to insure that the response lasts. They will be monitored during that time and re-tested for the virus at the end of that period. Patients who do not respond to treatment after 12 weeks will stop low-dose therapy and be offered the higher-dose standard treatment for 48 weeks. Patients who responded after 12 weeks and completed 24 weeks of therapy but subsequently became positive after stopping treatment will also be offered standard high-dose treatment for the full 48-week regimen. Patients on high-dose therapy will return to the clinic every 4 weeks during the 48-week course for evaluation and blood tests. Patients who remain positive for HCV after 24 weeks of high-dose therapy will stop treatment, as a response is unlikely to occur beyond that time.

After treatment, patients will return to the clinic at 4- to 8-week intervals for evaluations until 6 months. At 6 months, they will have a series of blood and urine tests and ultrasound of the liver.

Sponsoring Institute:
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Recruitment Detail
Type: Active Accrual Of New Subjects
Gender: Male & Female
Referral Letter Required: No
Population Exclusion(s): None

Eligibility Criteria:
INCLUSION CRITERIA:

Age above 18 years, male or female.

Presence of anti-HCV in serum.

Positive HCV RNA determination in serum.

HCV genotype 2 or 3 as determined by Inno LiPa assay or by direct sequencing. Patients with mixed genotypes will not be eligible if they have genotypes other than 2 or 3.

Written informed consent.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

Previous treatment with interferon alpha or peginterferon.

Decompensated liver disease, as marked by bilirubin greater than 4 mg/dL, albumin less than 3.0 g/dL, prothrombin time greater than 2 sec prolonged, or history of bleeding esophageal varices, ascites or hepatic encephalopathy.

Patients with ALT levels greater than 1000 U/L (greater than 25 times ULN) will not be enrolled but may be followed until three determinations are below this level.

Pregnancy or, in women of child-bearing potential or in spouses of such women, inability to practice adequate contraception, defined as vasectomy in men, tubal ligation in women, or use of condoms and spermicidal, or birth control pills, or an intrauterine device.

Significant systemic or major illnesses other than liver disease, including congestive heart failure, renal failure (creatinine clearance less than 50 ml/min), organ transplantation, serious psychiatric disease not controlled by psychotropic agents, and angina pectoris.

Evidence of coronary artery disease or cerebral vascular disease, including abnormalities on exercise stress testing in patients with defined risk factors who will be screened for evidence of underlying coronary artery disease.

Pre-existing, severe bone marrow compromise; anemia (hematocrit less than 30%), neutropenia (less than 1000 neutrophils/microliter) or thrombocytopenia (less than 70,000 cells/microliter).

History of hemolytic anemia.

Evidence of another form of liver disease in addition to hepatitis C (for example hepatitis B, autoimmune liver disease, Wilson's disease, alcoholic liver disease).

Active substance abuse, such as alcohol, inhaled or injection drugs within the previous six months.

Evidence of hepatocellular carcinoma: either alfa-fetoprotein (AFP) levels greater than 50 ng/ml (normal less than 9 ng/ml) and/or ultrasound (or other imaging study) demonstrating a mass suggestive of liver cancer.

Clinical gout.

HIV infection.

Quiescent or active, serious autoimmune disease such as lupus erythematosus, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease or rheumatoid arthritis that in the opinion of the investigators might be exacerbated by therapy with alfa interferon.

The use of immunosuppressive medications, including corticosteroids in doses of 10 mg of prednisone or its equivalent and higher.

Special Instructions: Currently Not Provided
Keywords:
Hepatitis C Virus
Antiviral Agents
Hemolysis
Neutropenia
Cirrhosis
Hemolytic Anemia
Viral Hepatitis
Ribavirin
Alfa Interferon
Pegylated Interferon
Recruitment Keywords:
Hepatitis C
HCV
Conditions:
Hepatitis C
Investigational Drug(s):
Peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C
Investigational Device(s):
None

Contacts:
Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison Office
Building 61
10 Cloister Court
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-4754
Toll Free: 1-800-411-1222
TTY: 301-594-9774 (local),1-866-411-1010 (toll free)
Fax: 301-480-9793

Electronic Mail:prpl@mail.cc.nih.gov

Citations:
Liang TJ, Rehermann B, Seeff LB, Hoofnagle JH. Related Articles, Links [Abstract] Pathogenesis, natural history, treatment, and prevention of hepatitis C. Ann Intern Med. 2000 Feb 15;132(4):296-305. Review. PMID: 10681285

Major ME, Feinstone SM. Related Articles, Links The molecular virology of hepatitis C. Hepatology. 1997 Jun;25(6):1527-38. Review. No abstract available. PMID: 9185778

Lauer GM, Walker BD. Related Articles, Hepatitis C virus infection. N Engl J Med. 2001 Jul 5;345(1):41-52. Review. No abstract available. PMID: 11439948

Active Accrual, Protocols Recruiting New Patients

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