A pilot study of eicosapentaenoic acid therapy for ribavirin-related anemia in patients with chronic hepatitis C

Ide,Tatsuya; Okamura,Takashi; Kumashiro,Ryukichi; Koga,Yuriko; Hino,Teruko; Hisamochi,Akiko; Ogata,Kei; Tanaka,Kazuo; Kuwahara,Reiichiro; Seki,Ritsuko; Sata,Michio

doi:10.3892/ijmm.11.6.729

June 2003 Volume 11 Issue 6

Full Size Image

Journals

International Journal of Molecular Medicine

International Journal of Molecular Medicine is an international journal devoted to molecular mechanisms of human disease.

International Journal of Oncology

International Journal of Oncology is an international journal devoted to oncology research and cancer treatment.

Molecular Medicine Reports

Covers molecular medicine topics such as pharmacology, pathology, genetics, neuroscience, infectious diseases, molecular cardiology, and molecular surgery.

Oncology Reports

Oncology Reports is an international journal devoted to fundamental and applied research in Oncology.

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine is an international journal devoted to laboratory and clinical medicine.

Oncology Letters

Oncology Letters is an international journal devoted to Experimental and Clinical Oncology.

Biomedical Reports

Explores a wide range of biological and medical fields, including pharmacology, genetics, microbiology, neuroscience, and molecular cardiology.

Molecular and Clinical Oncology

International journal addressing all aspects of oncology research, from tumorigenesis and oncogenes to chemotherapy and metastasis.

World Academy of Sciences Journal

Multidisciplinary open-access journal spanning biochemistry, genetics, neuroscience, environmental health, and synthetic biology.

International Journal of Functional Nutrition

Open-access journal combining biochemistry, pharmacology, immunology, and genetics to advance health through functional nutrition.

International Journal of Epigenetics

Publishes open-access research on using epigenetics to advance understanding and treatment of human disease.

Medicine International

An International Open Access Journal Devoted to General Medicine.

June 2003 Volume 11 Issue 6

Full Size Image

Article

A pilot study of eicosapentaenoic acid therapy for ribavirin-related anemia in patients with chronic hepatitis C

Authors:
- Tatsuya Ide
- Takashi Okamura
- Ryukichi Kumashiro
- Yuriko Koga
- Teruko Hino
- Akiko Hisamochi
- Kei Ogata
- Kazuo Tanaka
- Reiichiro Kuwahara
- Ritsuko Seki
- Michio Sata
View Affiliations / Copyright

Affiliations: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume-shi, Fukuoka-ken 830-0011, Japan. ide@med.kurume-u.ac.jp
Pages: 729-732
|
Published online on: June 1, 2003

https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.11.6.729
Expand metrics +

Abstract

One of the major side effects of ribavirin/interferon α combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C is hemolytic anemia. One of the causes of hemolytic anemia is considered to be decreasing deformability of erythrocytes resulting from the accumulation of phosphorylated ribavirin in erythrocytes. The administration of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which has a wide variety of pharmacological actions, increases the deformability of erythrocytes. We conducted an uncontrolled pilot study of EPA therapy for patients with ribavirin-related anemia. Six patients with chronic hepatitis C, who had developed anemia while receiving combination therapy, were treated with an oral ethyl ester of EPA (1800 mg/day) for two months. The hemoglobin level of all six patients increased following EPA therapy. The mean hemoglobin level significantly increased from 10.8 g/dl to 11.4 g/dl one month after therapy was initiated (P<0.05), and this level was obtained again one month later (11.5 g/dl). None of the patients developed an adverse reaction. These findings suggest that EPA has a beneficial effect in patients with ribavirin-related anemia. Further study is required to confirm our results.

Journals

International Journal of Molecular Medicine

International Journal of Oncology

Molecular Medicine Reports

Oncology Reports

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine

Oncology Letters

Biomedical Reports

Molecular and Clinical Oncology

World Academy of Sciences Journal

International Journal of Functional Nutrition

International Journal of Epigenetics

Medicine International

A pilot study of eicosapentaenoic acid therapy for ribavirin-related anemia in patients with chronic hepatitis C

This article is mentioned in:

Abstract

Related Articles