Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, Vol 50, Issue 6 M330-M333, Copyright © 1995 by The Gerontological Society of America
Treatment of hepatitis C virus in elderly persons with interferon alpha
DH Van Thiel, L Friedlander, P Caraceni, PJ Molloy and RJ Kania
Oklahoma Transplant Institute, Baptist Medical Center of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, USA.
BACKGROUND. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a health problem that is common in
adults. Because screening of blood and blood products for HCV has only been
possible recently, older adults are more likely than younger adults to have
HCV. Despite the higher prevalence of HCV in older adults, few are treated.
This failure to treat is a result of the concern that the untoward effects
of Interferon alpha (IFN) may not be tolerable in older individuals.
METHODS. Twenty-five subjects age > 65 years who were Ab-HCV positive
and desired IFN therapy were treated with 5 MU Interferon administered TIW
for 6 months. Twenty-five adults (mean age 44 +/- 1 years) matched for
gender and histologic disease were utilized as a control population.
Responses were classified as full if the ALT level was normal, and partial
if the ALT fell by > 50% but was still abnormal after 6 months of
therapy. All other responses were defined as failures. RESULTS. At the end
of treatment, no biochemical difference between the elderly and younger
adults was evident for any parameter. Moreover, the response rates (48% and
41%, respectively) were nearly identical. None of the elderly discontinued
IFN therapy during the treatment period. The rate of untoward events
reported by the elderly was similar to that reported by the younger
controls. CONCLUSIONS. These data demonstrate that: (a) the elderly with
HCV infections can be treated with IFN; (b) the response rate is similar in
elderly and younger adults; and, (c) the rate and type of untoward IFN
effects experienced by the elderly do not differ from that reported by
younger adults.
