Aims: An optimal duration of the combined treatment of peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin in chronic hepatitis C were intensively studied for genotypes 1, 2 and 3. Little information was known about optimal duration oj therapy for patients with HCV genotype 6. The aims of the study therefore are to compare the effectiveness between the standard course of treatment (48 weeks) and shorten course (24 weeks). The authors consider which factors leading to predict the sustained virologic response. Patients and methods: The authors conducted an open-label randomized trial of patients with HCV genotype 6 at Medic medical Center in HCM city. 92 chronic hepatitis C patients with genotype 6 were classified into two groups. Group I included 63 patients who received 48 weeks of treatment. Group Il included 29 patients received 24 weeks of treatment. All the patients were treated with peginterferon alfa-2a 180mcg/week combined with ribavirin 15mg/kg/day. Sustained virologic response was defined as undetectable HCVRNA after 24 weeks of follow-up. Ages, sexes, increase of ALT, AST/ALT ratio, viral load and rapid virologic response were the factors for evaluating the effectiveness of the treatment and the prognosis. Results: Sustained virologic responses were nearly the same between the two groups (Group I: 79.36 percent; Group II: 72.41 percent, p 0.05). It was found that younger patients, an AST/ALT ratio lower than 1 were the factors that could induce a higher sustained virologic response in every group. Histology and viral load had impact on SVR in shorten treatment group. SVR rates were highest in those pafjents who achieved an RVR; especially in patients with shorten treatment.Conclusion: Patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 6 treated with peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin for 24 weeks versus 48 weeks had similar SVR. RVR was a very strong predictor of SVR. The patients had no RVR should be treated for 48 weeks.
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