$216 POSTERS Various studies show comparably good therapy results in IVDU undergoing methadone substitution as in non-IVDU. Only few data exist on the frequency of contraindications and prognostic factors in IVDU. This knowledge is required for future guidelines and therapy concepts in opiate substitution programmes. The objective of this work is to compare the parameters with an influence on therapy indication and prognosis between IVDU and non-IVDU of the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study (SCCS). Methods: At the time of the analysis, 1862 patients were included in the SCCS from whom standardised data had been gathered. 1223 patients (66%) were treatment-naive and could therefore be evaluated. Through a logistic regression analysis, the differences between IVDU (current or earlier) and non-IVDU were calculated and adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity and weight. Results: HCV genotypes 1 and 4 together occur more frequently in the non-IVDU, genotypes 2 and 3 together are more frequent in IVDU than in non-IVDU. IVDU more often have a high alcohol consumption, increased HIV and HBV coinfections and psychiatric treatment. Cirrhosis, diabetes mellitus, leucopenia and thrombopenia occur more frequently in non-IVDU, whereby the differences are mainly to be attributed to higher age. Anaemia, high viral load, transaminases and hypothyreosis do not differ in the two groups. IVDU Non- OR (n 798) IVDU adjusted (%) (n 425) (age, sex, (%) ethnicity, weight) 95%CI HCV genotype 1 (vs. 2,3,4) 43.6 58.7 0.50 0.37 0.68 2 (vs. 1,3,4) 1.6 18.5 0.13 0.06 0.27 3 (vs. 1,2,4) 40.2 16.2 3.05 2.134.36 4 (vs. 1,2,3) 14.5 6.6 2.29 1.36 3.86 Alcohol >40g/day (vs. below) 12.5 3.1 3.52 1.83 6.77 Diabetes melliiaas Yes (vs. no) 1.1 6.3 0.30 0.12 0.74 HIV Positive (vs. negative) 21.4 4.1 5.03 2.60 9.75 HBV hbsag Positive (vs. negative) 3.4 1.0 4.99 1.28 19.55 Treatment for depression Yes (vs. no) 29.1 12.3 2.82 1.924.15 Other psychialxic treatment Yes (vs. no) 23.5 3.1 9.33 4.97 17.53 Liver cirrhosis Yes (vs. no) 6.5 14.6 0.89 0.54 1.46 ALAT Noiaiml (vs. higher) 36.8 29.3 1.35 0.99 1.83 in Japanese patients who had not responded to conventional interferon monotherapy. This is the first trial investigating peginterferon ~-2a (40KD) plus ribavirin in previously treated Japanese patients. Methods: Previously treated adults with detectable HCV RNA, elevated ALT and a liver biopsy consistent with a diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C were treated with peginterferon ~-2a (40KD) 180 gg/week plus ribavirin 600 1000 mg/day for 48 weeks. Patients were classified either as non- responders (no HCV RNA suppression below detection limits) or relapsers (reversion to HCV RNA positive status after suppression) to previous interferon monotherapy. The primary efficacy endpoint was sustained virological response (SVR; undetectable [<50IU/mL] HCV RNA after 24 weeks' untreated follow-up). ITT analysis was used. Results (Table): 100 patients received treatment, and 54% achieved an SVR. SVR rates were similar in previous non-responders and relapsers, and in patients with high and low baseline HCV RNA levels. Logistic regression analysis indicated that younger age significantly and indepen- dently increased the likelihood of achieving an SVR (odds ratio 0.92; 95%CI 0.88~0.97; p 0.001). Baseline HCV RNA, fibrosis grade, age or bodyweight had no influence on SVR. Adverse events were generally mild in severity and were typical of those associated with interferon-based therapies. Overall, 16% of patients withdrew because of adverse events or laboratory abnormalities. Baseline characteristics Mean age (yrs) Males, n (%) Mean bodyweight (kg) 52 74 (74) 67 SVR rates SVR rate, n (%) All patients Previous non-responders Previous relapsers All 54/100 (54) 19/40 (48) 35/60 (58) Genotype lb 43/84 (51) 18/36 (50) 25/48 (52) Genotype non-lb 11/16(69) 1/4 (25) 10/12 (83) Conclusions: All in all, IVDU have a comparable good prognosis re- garding the outcome of therapy as non-IVDU. The higher proportion of coinfections and problematic alcohol consumption is made up for by a better initial situation concerning genotype and cirrhosis. Seen as a whole, contraindications do not occur more frequently in IVDU. The observed relative contraindications (psychiatric comorbidity and coinfection) can be contained by comprehensive care by physicians specialised in addiction medicine and hepatitis C. I-~ HIGH RESPONSE RATES WITH PEGINTER- FERON ~-2a (40KD) (PEGASYS | PLUS RIBAVIRIN (COPEGUS | IN JAPANESE NON-RESPONDERS OR RELAPSERS TO CONVENTIONAL INTERFERON N. Izumi 1 , S. Iino 2, T. Okuno 3, M. Omata 4, K. Kiyosawa 5, H. Kumada6, N. Hayashi7, G. Yamada8, T. Sakai 9. 1Musashino Red Cross Hospital, 2Kiyosawa Hospital, 3Akashi Municipal Hospital, 4University of Tol~o, 5 Shinshu University Hospital, 6 Toranomon Hospital, 7Osaka University, 8Kawasaki Hospital, 9 The .Japanese Red Cross Musashino .Junior College of Nursing, .Japan Background: Despite major improvements in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, some patients do not respond to, or relapse following, interferon-based treatment. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of peginterferon a-2a (40KD) (PEGASYS | plus ribavirin (COPEGUS | Conclusion: Peginterferon a-2a (40KD) (PEGASYS | plus ribavirin (COPEGUS | is associated with a relatively high response rate in Japanese chronic hepatitis C patients who failed to respond to or relapsed after conventional interferon monotherapy. I• SAFETY OF PEGINTERFERON ~-2a (40KD) (PEGASYS | [PEG-IFN~-2a (40KD)] PLUS RIBAVIRIN (COPEGUS | AMONG PEGYLATED INTERFERON ~-2b (12KD)/ RIBAVIRIN NON-RESPONDERS: INTERIM ANALYSIS OF THE REPEAT STUDY D. Jensenl., P. Andreone 2, Y. Benhamou 3, Y. Horsmans4, M. Diago 5, A. Olveira Martin 6, G. Teuber7, D. Rincon 8, R Marcellin 9. 1University of Chicago Hospitals', Chicago, IL, USA," 2University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy," 3Groupe Hospitalier Pitie-Salpetriere, Paris', France," 4Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Bruxelles, Belgium," 5Hospital General De Valencia, Valencia, Spain," 6Hospital La Paz, MAdrid, Spain," 7 Klinikum der .Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universitat, Frankfitrt, Germany," 8Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon, Madrid, Spain," 9Hdpital Beaujon, Clichy, France Background and Aims: We initiated the REPEAT study, in which non- responders to Peg-IFNa-2b (12KD)/ribavirin were randomised to Peg- IFNa-2a (40KD) plus ribavirin, to evaluate a fixed-dose induction regimen plus extension of treatment beyond 48 weeks. Here, we report outcomes from the planned week 12 interim safety analysis.