What
is Interferon?
Interferon is
an immunity-boosting protein that your body makes. It is naturally made
by many different cells in your
body, including
liver cells, to help you fight off disease. The first Interferon therapy
was approved by the FDA in 1992.
What
is Interferon therapy?
Therapy with
Interferon is used to treat Hepatitis B or C. The treatment involves giving
yourself injections of a
genetically-manufactured
type alfa Interferon to boost your immune system to fight the Hepatitis
virus. There are several
brands of Interferon.
Because each is slightly different, the amount taken of each brand is different.
How
does Interferon work?
While we know
that Interferon boosts immunity to fight Hepatitis effectively, we're not
sure exactly how it does this. For
example, it may
attack the virus directly, or instead it may help your body's immune system
indirectly to fight off
diseased cells.
Will
Interferon cure the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) or the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)?
At this time,
there really is no known guaranteed cure for Hepatitis B or C, only treatment
with Interferon to keep the
disease under
control. So, while this treatment destroys the virus in about 10% of patients,
in most cases, Interferon
works by regulating
the advancement of the virus to minimize liver damage.
How
long will I have to take Interferon?
Generally, the
recommended course of treatment (and one approved by the FDA) lasts from
6 to 24 months. Because
people's reactions
to Interferon vary, your treatment may be shorter or longer. Your doctor
will decide how long you
need to stay
on therapy for the medication to be most beneficial to you.
How
do I know if the treatment is working?
At the end of
3 months your doctor will test your blood again to measure the amount of
virus or antibodies. (HCV RNA by
PCR, QUANTITATIVE)
If the levels have not dropped, you may not be responding to treatment.
At that point, your doctor
may decide to
change your therapy.
Why
did my doctor prescribe Interferon for me?
Your doctor feels
that your condition probably won't improve anytime soon without treatment.
And without treatment,
you run the risk
of permanent liver damage. Your doctor recommended Interferon therapy foryou
because there is
scientific information
showing it has helped other people with chronic Hepatitis (HBV and HCV),
making it worthwhile to
give to you.
How
do I take Interferon?
At this time,
all FDA approved Interferon for use against Hepatitis C must be injected
from once to several times a week.
These Interferons
may be administered by either subcutaneous (under the skin) or intramuscular
(into muscle) injection.
If they would
be taken in pill form the stomach acids would destroy these types of Interferon,
and would be of little
value. There
is a pill form of an alpha Interferon, but it is still experimental and
lacks FDA approval for use in the
treatment of
Hepatitis C. The best places to inject are thighs, outer part of upper
arm, and abdomen. To avoid possible
rash, redness,
dryness and/or itching at injection site, change site of injection every
time you inject. Use exactly as
prescribed. Do
not stop using this medication, or increase or decrease your dose without
consulting your doctor. Be sure
to follow your
doctor's instructions.
Each package of
Interferon contains a patient instruction sheet. Read the instructions
carefully and make sure you
understand how
to prepare the injection, use a disposable syringe, and give the injection.
Ask your physician or
pharmacist about
the proper disposal of used syringes.
Are
there any side effects I should know about?
Among the most
common side effects of therapy with Interferon are mild to moderate 'flu-like'
symptoms, such as fever,
muscle and joint
aches, and chills. Headache, diarrhea, mental confusion and short term
memory loss are also side
effects that
are affecting patients taking Interferon. Fatigue is another common side
effect and is usually the worst one.
Don't be afraid
if you experience them-they can be common at the start of therapy and lessen
after the first few weeks.
Some people also
report nausea or loss of appetite. Others feel tired,irritable, or depressed,
which may be caused by
either the disease
or Interferon. Ask your Doctor about these or any other side effects or
problems with your therapy. He
or she can suggest
ways to handle them. It is important to remember that even though you might
feel bad, side effects
can mean that
the treatment is working.
It should be noted
that some people have little or no side effects at all and, if present,
side effects lessen over the course
of treatment.
The most frequently reported side effects include:
Fatigue, headache,
muscle/joint pain, flu like symptoms, nausea/vomiting, injection site reactions-(rash/brusing/itching),
fever, chills,
diarrhea, partial hair loss, depression, irritability, diarrhea, insomnia
and loss of appetite.
Other more serious
side effects include:
Depression; suicidal
thoughts; confusion; numbness or tingling of fingers, toes and face; trouble
concentrating; irregular
heartbeat. If
you experience any of these side effects, notify your doctor immediately.
Are
there any helpful hints in dealing with my Interferon therapy?
Interferon therapy
is very individual and you should do whatever you feel comfortable doing.
Take your injections when
they will inconvenience
you the least, so that you may sleep through most of the side effects.
If recommended
by your doctor:
1. Acetaminophen
(NOT Ibuprofin) may be taken to reduce fever or aches and pains half an
hour to 1 hour before
injection.
2. Drink plenty
of fluids to avoid dehydration.
3. Dress warmly,
keep an extra blanket at the foot of the bed, and increase room temperature
during and after
administration
to help you deal with chills.
4. Rework your
schedule so that you can accomplish important daily activities when you're
feeling rested. Set realistic
goals, and above
all, try to maintain a positive attitude.
Where
do I get help about Interferon therapy?
If you have any
questions or concerns about your condition or treatment, be sure to discuss
them with your doctor. Your
doctor has been
provided with full prescribing information by the manufacturer. There are
currently three
pharmaceutical
companies that make Interferon that are FDA approved for use in treating
Hepatitis C. (Schering-Plough,
AMGEN, and Roche
Labs).
Find
out more about Interferon:
There are several
brands of Interferon, INTRON AŽ, and RebetronŽ (Schering Interferon
alfa-2b, Biological Response Modifier) - prescribed at 3mu 3 times a week.
Rebetron prescribes as 3 times a week of IntronA and daily dosages of either
1000mg or 1200 mg of Ribavirin. Ribavirin is in pill form).
AMGEN's Interferon alfacon-1, (Consensus INFERGENŽ)- prescribed at 5mcg, 9mcg, and 15mcg 3 times a week or more.
ROFERONŽ-A (Roche Interferon alfa-2a, Biological Response Modifier) - prescribed at 3mu 3 times a week.
REBETRONŽ is given as a 6 month treatment, INTRON AŽ is given as a 1 year treatment, along with ROFERONŽ, and INFERGENŽ is given as an 18 month treatment.
PEGELATED INTERFERON
- Schering has applied for approval of this drug. They are also doing studies
of Peg plus Ribavirin. Pegelated is made by both Schering and Roche and
is a time release interferon,
Many Dr's are
now prescribing the higher dosage and some are also prescribing daily dosing
for the first 30 days.
Learn
all you can about these different forms of Interferon before deciding whice
one will suit you best.