| [ Summary ] |
Combination therapy with PEG-IFN and ribavirin produces significant elevations in virological effectiveness against HCV. However, the side effects of this treatment are so strong that dose reduction or discontinuation is frequent. Discontinuation of administration is often caused by reductions in blood counts. Therefore, frequently, early stage treatment tends to have decreased clinical efficacy. Anemia, a specific side effect of ribavirin, tends to be more frequent in elderly patients. However, if ribavirin dosage is adjusted not by base body weight but by a CL / F base, the reduction of Hb in the elderly patients can be significant. As the number of elderly patients with HCV infections in Japan increases, ribavirin dosing, based on CL / F, may be considered increasingly useful. |