Chronic hepatitis B and C. What is the status of drug therapy?
Chronic hepatitis remains difficult to treat. Use of interferon has been successful against both hepatitis B and C viruses, but the outcome of long-term administration has yet to be determined. Not all patients respond to interferon, however, and some have side effects that cause them to discontinue therapy. Dr Wright discusses the results of studies to evaluate therapy with alpha, beta, and gamma interferon as well as with other agents, such as ribavirin, thymosin, and ursodeoxycholic acid.
Wright
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Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco.
D002908:Chronic Disease; D000075202:Contraindications; D016527:Drug Costs; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000628:therapy*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007372:Interferons / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007372:Interferons