Amantadine Plus Interferon-α Versus Interferon-α Monotherapy for the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis-C Infection in β-Thalassemia Major Patients: A Randomized Double Blinded Pilot Study in Shiraz, Iran
Journal Title: Iranian Journal of Blood and Cancer - Year 2009, Vol 2, Issue 1
Abstract
Background: Hepatitis-C infection is a major problem in chronically transfused patients. We compared Interferon-α (INF-α) monotherapy with combination of INF-α and amantadine in the treatment of β-thalassemia major patients who were chronically infected with HCV. Materials and Methods: Forty six thalassemia major patients who were chronically infected with HCV were randomly divided into two groups. One group (22 patients) was treated by INF-α, 3 million units every other day plus amantadine 2 mg/kg/day (case group) and the other group (24 patients) was treated by INF-α and placebo tablet (control group). The duration of treatment was 12 months in both groups. PCR for HCV and liver function tests were performed 3 months after beginning of treatment and 6 months after treatment cessation in both groups and the results were compared. Results: Sixteen patients were excluded from the study (12patietns in case group and 4 patients in control group) due to drug intolerance and inadequate follow up . 20 patients out of 24 patients who were treated with INF-α alone (control group) and 10 patients out of 22 patients who were treated with INF-α plus amantadine (case group) were followed for 18 months . PCR for HCV was performed two times for all patients. Initial PCR revealed that 15 patients (75.0%) became HCV negative in control group while 10 patients (100%) became HCV negative in case group. The second PCR which was performed 6 months after termination of treatment disclosed that 16 patients (80.0%) in control group were HCV negative compared to 6 patients (60.0%) in case group (P>0.05). Conclusion: Addition of amantadine to interferon does not improve the remission rate in HCV positive major thalassemic patients.
Authors and Affiliations
Mehran Karimi, Vahid Emad Marvasti, Mohammad Hadi Imanieh, Fatemeh Jahaniar Moqadam
Keywords
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