Reviewer's report 
 Retreatment of hepatitis C non-responsive to Interferon. A placebo controlled randomized trial Title: 
of Ribavirin monotherapy versus combination therapy with Ribavirin and Interferon in 121 patients in 
the Benelux. 
Authors: 
Bart J. Veldt ( b.veldt@erasmusmc.nl )
Johannes T. Brouwer ( brouwerj@rdgg.nl )
Michael Adler ( madler@ulb.ac.be )
Frederik Nevens ( frederik.nevens@uz.kuleuven.ac.be )
Peter Michielsen ( peter.michielsen@uza.uia.ac.be )
Dr Jean Delwaide ( jacques.belaiche@chu.ulg.ac.be )
Bettina E. Hansen ( b.hansen@erasmusmc.nl )
Prof Solko W. Schalm ( s.schalm@erasmusmc.nl )
 1  11 Jun 2003 Version: Date: 
 Antonio Craxì Reviewer: 
 A paper of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Reject Advice on publication: 
- Data on the ineffectiveness of ribavirin monotherapy, from 8 RCTs, are reviewed in Cochrane 
Database Syst Rev. 2002;(2):CD002234. Update of: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 
2002;(1):CD002234. Ribavirin with or without alpha interferon for chronic hepatitis C. Kjaergard LL, 
Krogsgaard K, Gluud C. - The study was performed between 1992 and 1996. What is the reason why the data have not yet been reported 7 years later? 
- What is the rationale for treating IFN nonresponders with a very weak antiviral such as ribavirin in 
monotherapy? 
Competing interests: 
None declared. 
Reviewer's report 
 Retreatment of hepatitis C non-responsive to Interferon. A placebo controlled randomized trial Title: 
of Ribavirin monotherapy versus combination therapy with Ribavirin and Interferon in 121 patients in 
the Benelux. 
Authors: 
Bart J. Veldt ( b.veldt@erasmusmc.nl )
Johannes T. Brouwer ( brouwerj@rdgg.nl )
Michael Adler ( madler@ulb.ac.be )
Frederik Nevens ( frederik.nevens@uz.kuleuven.ac.be )
Peter Michielsen ( peter.michielsen@uza.uia.ac.be )
Dr Jean Delwaide ( jacques.belaiche@chu.ulg.ac.be )
Bettina E. Hansen ( b.hansen@erasmusmc.nl )
Prof Solko W. Schalm ( s.schalm@erasmusmc.nl )
 1  11 Jun 2003 Version: Date: 
 Antonio Craxì Reviewer: 
 A paper of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Reject Advice on publication: 
- Data on the ineffectiveness of ribavirin monotherapy, from 8 RCTs, are reviewed in Cochrane 
Database Syst Rev. 2002;(2):CD002234. Update of: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 
2002;(1):CD002234. Ribavirin with or without alpha interferon for chronic hepatitis C. Kjaergard LL, 
Krogsgaard K, Gluud C. - The study was performed between 1992 and 1996. What is the reason why the data have not yet been reported 7 years later? 
- What is the rationale for treating IFN nonresponders with a very weak antiviral such as ribavirin in 
monotherapy? 
Competing interests: 
None declared. 
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report 
 Retreatment of hepatitis C non-responsive to Interferon. A placebo controlled randomized trial Title: 
of Ribavirin monotherapy versus combination therapy with Ribavirin and Interferon in 121 patients in 
the Benelux. 
Authors: 
Bart J. Veldt ( b.veldt@erasmusmc.nl )
Johannes T. Brouwer ( brouwerj@rdgg.nl )
Michael Adler ( madler@ulb.ac.be )
Frederik Nevens ( frederik.nevens@uz.kuleuven.ac.be )
Peter Michielsen ( peter.michielsen@uza.uia.ac.be )
Dr Jean Delwaide ( jacques.belaiche@chu.ulg.ac.be )
Bettina E. Hansen ( b.hansen@erasmusmc.nl )
Prof Solko W. Schalm ( s.schalm@erasmusmc.nl )
 1  11 Jun 2003 Version: Date: 
 Antonio Craxì Reviewer: 
 A paper of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Reject Advice on publication: 
- Data on the ineffectiveness of ribavirin monotherapy, from 8 RCTs, are reviewed in Cochrane 
Database Syst Rev. 2002;(2):CD002234. Update of: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 
2002;(1):CD002234. Ribavirin with or without alpha interferon for chronic hepatitis C. Kjaergard LL, 
Krogsgaard K, Gluud C. - The study was performed between 1992 and 1996. What is the reason why the data have not yet been reported 7 years later? 
- What is the rationale for treating IFN nonresponders with a very weak antiviral such as ribavirin in 
monotherapy? 
Competing interests: 
None declared. 
assistant