The recommended regimen for treating HCV genotype 2 patients is peginterferon plus low dose ribavirin (800 mg/day) for 24 weeks. Recently studies have demonstrated that a shorter treatment duration of 12-16 weeks of peginterferon plus standard weight-based dose of ribavirin (800-1400 mg/day) is as effective as a 24-week regimen among HCV genotype 2 patients with a RVR at week 4 of treatment (rate of sustained virological response, SVR, approximately 90%). However, for patients without a RVR at week 4 the efficacy of 24 week treatment remains unsatisfied. Individualized therapy with tailored regimen according to baseline and on-treatment virological factors, without compromising efficacy, is the future strategy in the management of chronic hepatitis C.~The aims of the present study are~To evaluate the efficacy and safety of low-dose versus standard-dose of ribavirin in combination with peginterferon alfa-2a given for 16 weeks in hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2 infected, treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis C patients after achieving a rapid virologic response (RVR,defined as seronegativity of HCV RNA at week 4 of treatment).~To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 24-week versus 48-week regimen of peginterferon alfa-2a plus standard-dose of ribavirin in HCV genotype 2 infected, treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis C patients who have no RVR.
The purposes of this study are:~To evaluate the efficacy and safety of low-dose versus standard-dose of ribavirin in combination with peginterferon alfa-2a given for 16 weeks in hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2 infected, treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis C patients after achieving a rapid virologic response (RVR,defined as seronegativity of HCV RNA at week 4 of treatment).~To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 24-week versus 48-week regimen of peginterferon alfa-2a plus standard-dose of ribavirin in HCV genotype 2 infected, treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis C patients who have no RVR.