Abstract

Background: A head-to-head comparison of the 72-week and 48-week anti-HCV therapies in slow responders with genotype 1 infection has been performed in several randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Objectives: This review aimed at summarizing and pooling the results of these studies. Materials and Methods: RCTs that had evaluated the 72-week vs. 48-week anti-HCV therapy (peginterferon and ribavirin) in slow responders with HCV genotype 1 infection were systematically identified. A meta-analysis was performed using the random effects model. Heterogeneity in results was assessed on the basis of the Q statistics, and publication bias was evaluated by using Harbord's modified test. The end point was set as a sustained virological response (SVR). Results: Data of 1206 subjects were retrieved from 7 studies. A total of 631 patients had received extended therapy. Slow virological responders who received the 72-week therapy had a significantly higher probability of achieving SVR than their counterparts who received the 48-week therapy RR = 1.44 (95% CI, 1.20-1.73). With regard to publication biases, the heterogeneity in funnel plots was not significant (P = 0.19, I(2) = 30%, P(Harbord) = 0.1 Conclusion: Our meta-analysis showed that the 72-week therapy with peginterferon and ribavirin is significantly superior to the standard 48-week therapy in slow responders with HCV genotype 1 infection. (C) 2011 Kowsar M.P.Co. All rights reserved.