Open Access

Eltrombopag enables initiation and completion of pegylated interferon/ribavirin therapy in Japanese HCV‑infected patients with chronic liver disease and thrombocytopenia

  • Authors:
    • Takumi Kawaguchi
    • Atsumasa Komori
    • Kunio Fujisaki
    • Shuhei Nishiguchi
    • Michio Kato
    • Hitoshi Takagi
    • Yasuhito Tanaka
    • Kazuo Notsumata
    • Eiji Mita
    • Hideyuki Nomura
    • Mitsushige Shibatoge
    • Koichi Takaguchi
    • Toshihiro Hattori
    • Michio Sata
    • Kazuhiko Koike
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: May 24, 2019     https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2019.7616
  • Pages: 596-604
  • Copyright: © Kawaguchi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )
Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )


Abstract

To investigate the efficacy of eltrombopag for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in patients with chronic hepatitis C, a phase II, single‑arm, open‑label study with a 9‑week pre‑antiviral phase was conducted, followed by a 48‑week antiviral phase and a 24‑week follow‑up phase. The proportion of patients who achieved a platelet count threshold, the proportion of patients who maintained a platelet count >50,000/µl, sustained virological response (SVR) rates and safety parameters were evaluated. Of the 45 enrolled patients (median age, 59 years; median platelet count, 63,000/µl; 98% with Child‑Pugh class A), 43 (96%) achieved the platelet count threshold during the pre‑antiviral phase. A total of 13 patients (29%) experienced ≥1 adverse event (AE), of which headache and vomiting were the most common, and 41 patients (mostly receiving eltrombopag 12.5 mg or 25 mg) entered the antiviral phase, of which 36 (88%) maintained the platelet count threshold; no patient platelet count decreased below 25,000/µl. Nine patients (22%) achieved an SVR at the 24‑week follow‑up. Grade ≥3 AEs occurred in 25 patients (61%). A total of 8 serious AEs occurred in five patients (12%). No mortality, thromboembolic events (TEEs), or cataract progression were reported. Eltrombopag increased the platelet count in chronic hepatitis C virus‑infected patients with cirrhosis and thrombocytopenia and enabled them to initiate and complete interferon‑based antiviral therapy (NCT01636778; first submitted: July 05, 2012).
View Figures
View References

Related Articles

Journal Cover

July-2019
Volume 18 Issue 1

Print ISSN: 1792-0981
Online ISSN:1792-1015

Sign up for eToc alerts

Recommend to Library

Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Kawaguchi T, Komori A, Fujisaki K, Nishiguchi S, Kato M, Takagi H, Tanaka Y, Notsumata K, Mita E, Nomura H, Nomura H, et al: Eltrombopag enables initiation and completion of pegylated interferon/ribavirin therapy in Japanese HCV‑infected patients with chronic liver disease and thrombocytopenia. Exp Ther Med 18: 596-604, 2019
APA
Kawaguchi, T., Komori, A., Fujisaki, K., Nishiguchi, S., Kato, M., Takagi, H. ... Koike, K. (2019). Eltrombopag enables initiation and completion of pegylated interferon/ribavirin therapy in Japanese HCV‑infected patients with chronic liver disease and thrombocytopenia. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 18, 596-604. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2019.7616
MLA
Kawaguchi, T., Komori, A., Fujisaki, K., Nishiguchi, S., Kato, M., Takagi, H., Tanaka, Y., Notsumata, K., Mita, E., Nomura, H., Shibatoge, M., Takaguchi, K., Hattori, T., Sata, M., Koike, K."Eltrombopag enables initiation and completion of pegylated interferon/ribavirin therapy in Japanese HCV‑infected patients with chronic liver disease and thrombocytopenia". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 18.1 (2019): 596-604.
Chicago
Kawaguchi, T., Komori, A., Fujisaki, K., Nishiguchi, S., Kato, M., Takagi, H., Tanaka, Y., Notsumata, K., Mita, E., Nomura, H., Shibatoge, M., Takaguchi, K., Hattori, T., Sata, M., Koike, K."Eltrombopag enables initiation and completion of pegylated interferon/ribavirin therapy in Japanese HCV‑infected patients with chronic liver disease and thrombocytopenia". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 18, no. 1 (2019): 596-604. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2019.7616