[Therapy of chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis with interferon alfa-2B. A controlled clinical study and long-term follow-up].

In order to assess the efficacy of alpha-2b interferon (r-IFN) in the treatment of non-A non-B chronic hepatitis, 30 patients were randomised to receive r-IFN (3 MU subcutaneously three times a week for 24 weeks) or no therapy. A total of 21 males and 9 females, aged between 24-66 years old and who had had increased transaminase levels for at least one year, were included in the study. Three patients were ex-drug addicts and 6 had received blood transfusions whereas the cause of the infection in the remaining 21 patients was unknown.