Age-related differences in response to peginterferon alfa-2a/ribavirin in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection

Table 2 Rates and reasons for treatment discontinuation n (%)

	All genotypes		P value	OR (95%CI)	Genotype 1		P value	OR (95%CI)
	< 60 yr	≥ 60 yr			< 60 yr	≥ 60 yr
Treatment discontinuation	1402 (30.8)	144 (47.8)	0.000	2.065 (1.633-2.611)	985 (37.7)	134 (54.7)	0.000	1.996 (1.534-2.599)
Non-response	622 (13.6)	80 (26.6)	0.000	2.291 (1.750-2.999)	535 (20.5)	78 (31.8)	0.000	1.815 (1.365-2.414)
Lost to follow up	323 (7.1)	6 (2.0)	0.002	0.267 (0.118-0.603)	176 (6.7)	4 (1.6)	0.004	0.230 (0.085-0.625)
Adverse events	142 (3.1)	34 (11.3)	0.000	3.960 (2.670-5.873)	89 (3.4)	30 (12.2)	0.000	3.959 (2.558-6.126)
Of them due to intolerance RBV	49 (1.1)	19 (6.3)	0.000	6.200 (3.602-10.673)	35 (1.3)	16 (6.5)	0.000	5.148 (2.807-9.444)
Of them due to intolerance IFN	91 (2.0)	23 (7.6)	0.000	4.061 (2.530-6.519)	62 (2.4)	21 (8.6)	0.000	3.859 (2.309-6.448)
Patient request	210 (4.6)	22 (7.3)	0.035	1.633 (1.035-2.575)	127 (4.9)	21 (8.6)	0.013	1.836 (1.134-2.971)
Compliance	160 (3.5)	3 (1.0)	0.028	0.277 (0.088-0.872)	87 (3.3)	2 (0.8)	0.046	0.239 (0.058-0.977)
Co-morbidities	41 (0.9)	7 (2.3)	0.020	2.623 (1.167-5.898)	30 (1.1)	6 (2.4)	0.081
Death	12 (0.3)	3 (1.0)	0.039	3.814 (1.070-13.588)	10 (0.4)	3 (1.0)	0.061
Others	74 (1.6)	2 (0.7)	0.194		50 (1.9)	2 (0.8)	0.219

Rates and reasons for treatment discontinuation: multiple choice possible: comparison of patients < 60 years vs≥ 60 years with chronic hepatitis C. Others: Conspicuous blood results, hospitalisation, unexpected incident. RBV: Ribavirin; IFN: Interferon.