Favorable response to lymphoblastoid interferon-alpha in children with chronic hepatitis C

Background/Aims: We investigated the efficacy of interferon therapy for the treatment of children with chronic hepatitis V virus infection. Methods: Twenty-four out of 26 children completed the 6-month treatment with lymphoblastoid interferon-alpha and were followed for 12 months or longer. Response to interferon therapy was defined by assaying for circulating HCV-RNA, using a nested PCR, at 6-month intervals after the end of the therapy. Results: At the end of treatment circulating HCV-RNA was undetectable in patients and at 6 months in . Ten of these 12 primary responders have remained virus free for more than 2 years. One patient remained negative at 12 months. The remaining patient relapsed at 12 months. At 24 months 10 of 18 patients tested negative for HCV-RNA. Serum alanine aminotransferase was normal in patients at the end of treatment, at 6 months were normal, and at 12 months were normal. In eight children with sustained response, repeated liver biopsies revealed a reduction in Knodellʹs scores for inflammation in the hepatic lobules and in the portal areas. In three of them neither plus nor minus strand of HCV-RNA was detectable in the liver tissue. Responders had a significantly lower level of viremia than non-responders. Side effects of interferon including fever, hair loss, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia were not serious enough to warrant cessation of interferon treatment. Conclusions: Interferon therapy in children with chronic hepatitis C may be beneficial as evaluated by sustained loss of viremia as well as by primary response.