Leukopenia and neutropenia in chronic hepatitis C patients with various underlying combination antiviral therapy

Abstract

The aim of this research is the study of the dynamics of the content of leukocytes and neutrophils in the blood of patients with chronic hepatitis C combination therapy against standard or pegylated interferon combined with ribavirin. Before treatment, as well as at different stages of combination antiviral therapy were studied absolute numbers of leukocytes and blood neutrophils in patients with CHC. In addition, studied the relationship between the dynamics of the content of white blood cells and blood neutrophils and the initial clinical and laboratory parameters (gender, age, body mass index (BMI), the genotype of the virus, the level of viremia, initial level of leukocytes and neutrophils, ALT, histological activity index, the degree of fibrosis) and option of combination therapy. Showing that the reduction of leukocytes and neutrophils have been observed from the second week of treatment, regardless of the option of combination therapy. Application PIFN-α-2а caused significantly more pronounced leukopenia and neutropenia compared with a simple treatment of IFN-α-2а. Furthermore, the development of neutropenia associated with the achievement of sustained virological response in both antiviral schemes therapy. Also we onsider prognostic criteria, indicating the possible development of severe leuco-and neutropenia during treatment: age older than 45 years, the high initial activity of replicative virus (>800 000 IU / ml).

Keywords

• chronic hepatitis c
• combination therapy
• interferon-α
• ribavirin
• side effects
• leukopenia
• neutropenia