Interferon and ribavirin combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C in human immunodeficiency virus–infected patients with congenital coagulation disorders

Abstract We have conducted an open, prospective trial to assess the safety and efficacy of interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin in combination for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected hemophiliacs. Twenty hemophiliacs coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV), 18 of them under highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), with a mean CD4 + cell count of 490 ± 176 cells/mm 3 and undetectable (n = 9) or low-level HIV RNA ( P = .041) but were otherwise similar to nonresponders. All sustained responders had a decrease in HCV-RNA level of at least 1 log per month during the first 2 months and undetectable levels at 6 months. In conclusion, our results provide evidence that combination therapy with interferon and ribavirin is safe in HIV-infected hemophiliacs with stable CD4 cell count and undetectable or low-level HIV replication, and leads to eradication of HCV in 40% of these patients. (H EPATOLOGY 2001;34:1035-1040.)