| Summary: | Chronic HCV infection therapy with pegylated-interferon plus ribavirin is associated with many adverse effects. The aim of our study was to determine the incidence of hematological adverse effects and their possible differences in males and females during chronic HCV infection therapy, as well their influence on the therapy course and duration.The study involved 55 patients divided into four groups. Group I comprised male patients treated for 48 weeks (24 patients); group II - females treated for 48 weeks (14 patients); group III - males treated for 24 weeks (14 patients) and group IV - females treated for 24 weeks (3 patients). The following hematological parameters were examined: leukocyte, neutrophil, erythrocyte and thrombocyte count, hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit. Ninety-two percent of patients had hematological adverse effects in total. Anemia was registered in 35 patients: in 71% of males in group I, 86% of females in group II, and in group III in 43% of cases. There is no statistically significant difference in the incidence of anemia between groups I and II patients, but it is relevantly more frequent in group II compared to group III, with the shorter duration of treatment (p<0.05). Additionally, significantly lower average hemoglobin concentration decrease was reported in subjects of group III (p<0.01). Leucopenia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were noticed in approximately the same number of males and females, while one male in group I suffered from severe thrombocytopenia. Nineteen patients had to have medications dose modification due to these side effects.According to our research, females suffered from anemia more frequently, while the frequency of other cytopenias was almost equal between genders. The medications dose modifications due to these side effects did not influence the therapy course and duration. It is important to note that the patients with 24-week-therapy had less hematological side effects compared to the patients treated for 48 weeks. The indicated differences reveal the need for possible corrections in therapeutic approach according to patient gender in order to achieve effective disease management with less adverse effects.
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