Abstract: Objective To explore the virological and biochemical response in children with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) by using peginterferon-α2a and ribavirin combination treatment. Methods 42 children with CHC were recruited in our hospital between April 2016 and April 2018, and were randomly divided into control (n=21) and observation group (n=21). The patients in control group were treated with recombinant interferon α-1b and ribavirin, while the children with CHC in observation group received peginterferon α-2a and ribavirin combination treatment, and the regimen lasted for 48 weeks. Results The rapid virological response, early virological response, virological response at the end of treatment and sustained virological response in peginterferon α-2a-treated children were 38.1%, 81.0%, 90.5% and 85.7%, significantly higher than 16.7%, 52.4%, 69.1% and 64.3%, respectively, in the control (P<0.05); serum ALT normalization rates at week 4, week 12 and week 48 in the observation group were 59.5%, 73.8% and 83.3%, not significantly different as compared to 47.6%, 69.0% and 81.0%, respectively, in the control (P>0.05); the incidence of influenza-like symptoms and neutropenia in the observation group were much higher than those in the control (P<0.05). Conclusion The combination of peginterferon α-2a and ribavirin in treatment of children with CHC is efficacious with improved virological response, but having some side effects, which should be dealt with in time to complete the regimen.

Key words: Hepatitis C, Pegylated interferon-2a, Recombinant interferonα-1b, Ribavirin, Virological response, Therapy