Effects of pegylated interferon‐α‐2a monotherapy on growth in Japanese children with chronic hepatitis C

Abstract

PEG IFN-α-2a has an inhibitory effect on children's growth, and Z-scores of height and bodyweight were decreased at the end of treatment. Although Z-scores improved after the treatment, they had not returned to the baseline level 1 year after the treatment.

Peginterferon Therapy in Children With Chronic Hepatitis C

“…Two additional weaknesses of the present study were its retrospective nature and the relatively small number of patients. Nevertheless, our results were superior to the results of previous pediatric studies (9)(10)(11)26), and may provide useful information when considering a curative treatment for HCV-infected children, including Japanese children.…”

“…There are, however, no measures to prevent mother-to-child transmission, and 3% to 10% of infants born to carrier mothers are infected with HCV (21)(22)(23). In cases of motherto-child transmission, considering the occurrence of spontaneous recovery in which HCV-RNA becomes negative by 3 to 4 years of age (24), the slow progression of hepatic lesions during childhood, and the extreme rarity of development into cirrhosis and liver cancer (25), together with the possibility that IFN therapy during puberty can lead to growth disorders (26), and the fact that adolescence and young adulthood are associated with many school and work demands which may result in a lack of compliance with medical regimens and visits (8), investigations of treatment indications and the timing for the start of treatment are desired.…”

Clinical practice guidelines for the management of children with mother‐to‐child transmitted hepatitis C virus infection

“…As far as the search extended, there was no study about children with chronic hepatitis C that compared patients after dividing them into two groups: those receiving therapeutic intervention or those receiving no treatment. Research papers related to a successful virological response to, or safety of, peginterferon/ribavirin and DAA therapy, including five SR s , 100,116–119 one RCT, 120 28 CSs, 116,121–146 and one CR 147 were the main reviewed reports.…”

“…The adverse reactions to this therapy that occurred during treatment include, leucopenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and pyrexia, but these adverse reactions are reported to resolve after completion of the treatment 116,117,120,126–129,148 . Although growth disorder has been reported as an adverse reaction that has been a long‐time concern, there are several reports that any growth disorder will subside after discontinuation of the treatment 118,119,135–141,149 …”

Three Children Treated with Direct-acting Antivirals for Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1b Infection

“…However, children with chronic HCV infection have fewer treatment options than adults. Until recently, the standard of care for chronic HCV pediatric infections was interferon or peginterferon and ribavirin therapy for 24 or 48 weeks, a regimen that requires subcutaneous injections and is associated with major side effects, including growth impairment (3)(4)(5)(6)(7).…”