There was no significant difference between the 36-week and 48-week treatment regimens for the overall cohort. However, among patients with baseline viral load >2 million copies/mL who attained SVR, 65% were treated for 48 weeks and 35% were treated for 36 weeks: all patients with high baseline viral load treated for 24 weeks failed to attain SVR. This suggests that the 48-week treatment regimen may be better suited to patients with high baseline viremia. The efficacy and safety of pegylated interferon 2a has not be adequately evaluated in chronic hepatitis C genotype 4 patients in well conducted clinical trials involving well characterized cohorts and long follow up.