Female patients in fertile age with chronic hepatitis C, easy genotype, and persistently normal transaminases have a 100% chance to reach a sustained virological response.

Background: Patients with chronic hepatitis C and persistently normal alanine transaminase levels have recently been included in the guidelines for antiviral treatment.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of PEG-interferon α-2a and weight-based ribavirin doses in patients with these characteristics in a single Italian centre.

Materials And Methods: Patients with chronic hepatitis C and at least three normal alanine transaminase values over a 12-month period were offered a treatment with PEG-interferon α-2a 180 mg/week and ribavirin (800 mg/day for weight <60 kg; 1000 mg/day for weight >60 and <75 kg; 1200 mg/day for weight >75 kg) for 24 weeks (according to genotype 2 or 3) or for 48 weeks (according to genotype 1 or 4).

Retreatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C relapsers to a previous antiviral treatment.

Background: The efficacy of retreatment with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) plus ribavirin for patients relapsing after a previous treatment remains to be fully elucidated, although extended treatment seems to be the best option in such cases.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of two extended protocols in patients with genotypes 1 or 4, or those with genotypes 2 or 3.

Methods: A total of 181 patients who had relapsed after a previous antiviral treatment with PEG-IFNα2a plus weight-based ribavirin were offered retreatment with the same dose of both PEG-IFN plus ribavirin, to be continued for 48 weeks in those with genotypes 2 or 3 (group 1), and for 72 weeks in those with genotypes 1 or 4 (group 2).