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Peginterferon alfa-2a and peginterferon alfa-2b, each with ribavirin, are effective treatments for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Recently, the IDEAL trial (JW Infect Dis Aug 5 2009) found that both treatments provided similar rates of sustained virologic response (SVR). However, that study used two different ribavirin regimens with different starting doses and dose-reduction rules. Now, two groups of Italian investigators conducted separate single-center, prospective, randomized trials in which peginterferon alfa-2a and peginterferon alfa-2b with similar ribavirin regimens were compared during initial treatment for HCV infection.
In the study by Rumi and colleagues, 212 HCV patients received peginterferon alfa-2a (180 μg/week) p…