Clinical Study

Optimal Erythrocyte Ribavirin Level to Reduce the Risk of Anemia and Obtain an Early Virological Response in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Caused by Genotype 1b Infection

Table 2

Comparisons of the rate in which RBV was discontinued, the rate in which RBV dosage was reduced due to development of anemia, 4-week hemoglobin reduction rate from the baseline, the EVR rate and the SVR rate of the patients with 2-week erythrocyte phosphorylated RBV concentration 600  M to 600–800  M, and 800  M .

600  600–800  M ( )

Rate of RBV discontinuation (%)0/7 (0)0/7 (0)3/10 (30.0)
Rate of RBV reduction (%)1/7 (14.3)3/7 (42.9)3/10 (30.0)
ΔHb by 4 weeks (%)
Rate of EVR(%)0/7 (0)5/7 (71.4)6/10 (60.0)
Rate of SVR (%)0/7 (0)3/7 (42.6)3/10 (30.0)

RBV: ribavirin.
Hb: 4-week hemoglobin reduction rate from the baseline.
EVR: Early Virological Response; Serum HCV RNA negativity until 12 weeks of therapy.
SVR: Sustained Virological Response; Serum HCV RNA negativity at 24 weeks after completed therapy.
Hb is expressed as mean S.D.