Twenty-six RCTs (1,305 patients) were included. In 3 of the RCTs, the use of IFN-alpha was studied in patients with mutant B virus.
The OR represents the ratio of the probability of remission between treated and untreated patients, where an OR greater than 1 indicates successful treatment, and an OR between 0 and 1 indicates treatment failure.
Overall OR (26 studies): 4.0 (95% confidence interval, CI: 3.1, 5.2); heterogeneity was significant at the p=0.1 level.
Patients with mutant B virus: OR 5.5 (95% CI: 2.1, 14.0); heterogeneity was non significant.
Recombinant IFN-alpha 2a: OR 2.6 (95% CI: 1.6, 4.0); heterogeneity was non significant.
Recombinant IFN-alpha 2b: OR 5.4 (95% CI: 3.5, 8.3); heterogeneity was significant at the p=0.1 level.
Lymphoblastoid IFN-alpha: OR 5.3 (95% CI: 3.1, 8.9); heterogeneity was significant at the p=0.1 level.
Treatment schedule using 3 MU: OR 2.2 (95% CI: 1.06, 4.6); heterogeneity was significant at the p=0.1 level.
Treatment schedule using 4.5 to 5 MU: OR 3.5 (95% CI: 2.1, 5.8); heterogeneity was not significant at the p=0.1 level.