Changes in anti-viral effectiveness of interferon after dose reduction in chronic hepatitis c patients: a case control study

Table 2 Results of non-linear fitting of viral dynamics

Patient ⁽¹⁾	Initial viral load (log copies/ml)	% blocking production		Half-life⁽²⁾ of free virions (hours)	Half-life of infected cells (days)
		During 10 MU qd	After reduction to 3 MU qd		minimal and maximal estimates ⁽³⁾
1-A	6.9	98.4		2.3	8.7–8.8
1-B	6.9	99.9		2.5	3.0–3.0
1-C	6.7	99.5		2.2	1.7–1.7
1-D	6.1	86.9		1.9	7.8–9.0
1-E	5.8	99.5		5.3	4.4–4.5
1-F	6.4	98.5		6.4	3.2–3.2
1-G	7.0	95.1		1.8	6.1–6.4
1-H	7.1	99.8		1.7	1.1–1.1
1-I	7.4	98.9		3.3	4.9–4.9
Group 1⁽⁴⁾ mean (std)	6.7 (0.5)	97.4 % (0.04)		3.0 hours (1.7)	4.5–4.7 days (2.6–2.8)
2-A	7.3	93.0	62.5	1.8	4.8–7.7
2-C	6.8	98.1	78.5	3.3	0.9–1.2
2-E	6.7	93.8	86.0	3.3	7.1–8.2
2-F	6.5	99.6	95.2	1.9	1.0–1.0
2-G	7.2	97.8	85.0	3.3	4.0–4.7
2-H	7.3	95.5	27.8	3.9	1.2–4.7
2-I	6.1	98.1	88.0	1.1	11.8–13.5
2-J	7.1	99.9	98.0	1.6	3.4–3.4
2-K	7.1	71.4	25.2	2.1	2.6–2.7
2-L	6.3	99.6	99.6	6.9	2.2–2.3
2-M	7.4	93.0	81.1	2.1	12.0–14.8
2-N	6.8	92.4	33.2	3.6	2.5–7.7
Group 2⁽⁴⁾ mean (std)	6.9 (0.4)	94.3% (0.08)	69.1% (^**) (26.6)	2.9 hours (1.6)	4.4–6.7 days (3.9–4.6)

1) Fitting was not done for: patients 2-B (non-detectable at day 2 on), 2-D (Null-response), 2-O (missing data and rebound). 2) For group 1 half-life of free virions is only a maximal estimate because only samples from 0, 8 and 24 hours were available. 3) Minimal and maximal estimates of the half-life of infected cells was estimated assuming Η = 1 and Η = 0 respectively in Eq 2. 4) No statistically significant differences in any parameter between the two groups. ^**) Statistically significant (p < 0.002) difference in percentage blocking production before and after dose reduction in group 2.

ISSN: 1471-230X