Complete early virological response was highly achieved by double filtration plasmapheresis plus IFN-beta induction therapy for HCV-1b patients with relapse or no response after previous IFN therapy.

The efficacy of double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) plus interferon (IFN)-β induction therapy was preliminarily investigated in re-treated patients with chronic genotype 1b hepatitis C and high viral load (patients with relapse or non-response to previous IFN therapies). In eight patients with chronic hepatitis C, DFPP was performed five times over 2 weeks during IFN-β therapy, and 3 MU of IFN-β was administered twice a day for 2 weeks. Combination therapies with ribavirin and pegylated IFN-α2b (PEG-IFN-α2b) or pegylated IFN-α2a (PEG-IFN-α2a) were subsequently used.