Pre-Transplant Treatment to Prevent Recurrence of Hepatitis C After Liver Transplantation

"PEG-Intron (peginterferon alfa-2b (PEGIFN)) Redipen; Rebetol (ribavirin (RBV) United States Pharmacopeia (USP)) Capsules:~Treatment was initiated with PEGIFN 0.75 µg/kg/week and RBV 600 mg/day. Dose escalations were performed at weeks 1 (PEGIFN 1.5 µg/kg/week and RBV 800 mg/day), 2 (RBV 1.0 g/day), and 3 (RBV 1.2 g/day for patients who weighed more then 75 kg) based upon patient tolerance and weekly blood counts. Once a patient reached the target RBV dose of 1-1.2 g/day (approximately 10.6 to 13.2 mg/kg/day), no further increases in RBV dose were made. Subsequent doses of PEGIFN and RBV were adjusted based upon adverse events, patient tolerability, and blood counts. If the highest tolerated dose of PEGIFN was \<0.5 ug/kg, PEGIFN was permanently discontinued."