Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

The major objective of treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is to prevent progression to cirrhosis, and thereby prevent complications of end-stage liver disease. The established treatment of chronic HCV is with alpha interferon. Recent results with ribavirin and alpha interferon together suggest that combination antiviral therapy will become the benchmark treatment. For both naive and relapsed patients, however, it has become important to assess the long-term outcome of treatment, in order to gauge whether treatment has indeed modified the natural history of chronic hepatitis C virus infection. It seems likely that most sustained responders (85-90%) treated with combination ribavirin and alpha interferon will continue to have a long-term biochemical and virological response, as has been demonstrated with alpha interferon alone, but further long-term follow-up of patients treated with combination therapy is required.

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/s0168-8278(99)80410-3

Type

Journal article

Journal

Journal of hepatology

Publication Date

01/1999

Volume

31 Suppl 1

Pages

244 - 249

Addresses

Department of Medicine, Royal Free and University College School of Medicine, London, United Kingdom.

Keywords

Humans, Hepatitis C, Chronic, Disease Progression, Interferon-alpha, Ribavirin, Antiviral Agents, Drug Therapy, Combination, Time Factors