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Interferon Plus Ribavirin in Patients with Hepatitis C Virus Positive Mixed Cryoglobulinemia Resistant to Interferon
CESARE MAZZARO, FRANCESCA ZORAT, CONSUELO COMAR, FABIANA NASCIMBEN, DARIO BIANCHINI, STEFANO BARACETTI, CARLO DONADA, VALTER DONADON, and GABRIELE POZZATO
ABSTRACT.
Methods. Twenty-seven patients with HCV positive mixed cryoglobulinemia were studied. All were treated with IFN-a2b (3 MU 3 times weekly) for one year, plus daily oral ribavirin 1000 or 1200 mg. Results. Five patients (18.5%) obtained complete recovery from viral infection and from all signs and symptoms of disease. During treatment, most patients (85%) improved clinically. All 5 responders were "relapsers" to the first treatment(s). Conclusion. Combination therapy of IFN plus ribavirin could be useful for patients with mixed cryoglobulinemia resistant to IFN as monotherapy. (J Rheumatol 2003;30:1775-81) Key Indexing Terms:
MIXED CRYOGLOBULINEMIA
C. Mazzaro, MD; S. Baracetti, MD, Second Medical Unit, S. Maria degli Angeli Hospital; F. Zorat, MD; C. Comar, MD; F. Nascimben, MD;
G. Pozzato, MD, Department of Internal Medicine and Neurology, University of Trieste; D. Bianchini, MD, First Medical Unit, Cattinara Hospital; C. Donada, MD; V. Donadon, MD, Third Medical Unit,
S. Maria degli Angeli Hospital.
Address reprint requests to Dr. G. Pozzato, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Neurologia, Unità Operativa Medicina Clinica, Ospedale di Cattinara, Strada di Fiume 447, 34100 Trieste, Italy.
E-mail: g.pozzato@fmc.units.it
Submitted April 2, 2002; revision accepted January 22, 2003. |