Evaluation of fluvastatin in combination with the standard of care therapy (PEG-IFN/Ribavirin) in Egyptian patients with hepatitis C virus

Bibliographic Information
Authors: Seyam M.S.; Gabr H.A.; Salama Z.A.; Mokhles M.A.; Marzaban R.N.; Soliman A.F.
Journal: Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology
Publisher: Turkish Society of Gastroenterology
Publication Date: 15 November 2015
Volume / Issue: Volume 26 / Issue 6
Pages: 511–516
ISSN: 13004948
Scopus: View on Scopus
PubMed: 26510086
Document Type: Article
Access: All Open Access; Green Open Access
Authors and Affiliations
Seyam M.S., Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt; Gabr H.A., Department of Internal Medicine, National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt; Salama Z.A., Department of Endemic Medicine, Cairo University Faculty of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt; Mokhles M.A., Department of Internal Medicine, National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt; Marzaban R.N., Department of Endemic Medicine, Cairo University Faculty of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt; Soliman A.F., Department of Endemic Medicine, Cairo University Faculty of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt
Abstract
Background/Aims: Cholesterol biosynthesis suppresses the replication of HCV-1b replicons, thus influencing hepatitis C virus (HCV) natural history. This study aimed at comparing the efficacy and safety of fluvastatin (FLV) as an adjuvant therapy to the standard of care (SOC) therapy, i.e., pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin, for the treatment of HCV patients. Materials and Methods: Sixty HCV patients were enrolled and allocated to either group I, who received the triple therapy (fluvastatin + SOC), or group II, who received SOC; the duration for both treatments was 48 weeks. All patients were subjected to pretreatment liver biopsy and monthly biochemical tests (liver profile, CBC), and quantitative HCV-RNA test was performed at weeks 0, 4, 12, 48, and 72. Results: All virological responses were higher in group I than in group II, with no statistical difference. Group I showed no manifestations of hepatotoxicity. Conclusion: Fluvastatin yielded a borderline, significantly higher complete early virological response than SOC; therefore, it is a safe adjuvant to the SOC therapy. © Copyright 2015 by The Turkish Society of Gastroenterology.
Keywords
Early virological response; Fluvastatin; Hepatitis C virus; Rapid virological response; Standard of care; Sustained virological response; Adult; Antiviral Agents; Blood Cell Count; Drug Therapy, Combination; Egypt; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; Female; Hepacivirus; Hepatitis C; Humans; Indoles; Interferon-alpha; Liver Function Tests; Male; Middle Aged; Polyethylene Glycols; Recombinant Proteins; Ribavirin; RNA, Viral; Treatment Outcome; alanine aminotransferase; aspartate aminotransferase; bilirubin; fluindostatin; low density lipoprotein; peginterferon; alpha interferon; antivirus agent; indole derivative; macrogol derivative; monounsaturated fatty acid; peginterferon alpha2a; recombinant protein; virus RNA; alanine aminotransferase blood level; Article; aspartate aminotransferase blood level; bilirubin blood level; drug efficacy; drug safety; flu like syndrome; human; major clinical study; peritoneal and retroperitoneal infections; prospective study; treatment duration; virus load; blood; combination drug therapy; controlled study; genetics; health care quality; liver function test; randomized controlled trial; virology
Citation Information
Scopus Citations: 3
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