title: [Therapy update 1994].
abstract: In carefully selected patients with viral hepatitis B, C (and D?), alpha-interferon (IFN) treatment is associated with a reduction of active viral replication. In chronic hepatitis B, HBeAg clearance rates approximate 40%. About 25% of patients with chronic hepatitis C will profit from a long-lasting (six to twelve months) IFN therapy. Treatment of chronic hepatitis D remains unsatisfactory, since only a minority of patients (less than 10%) finally will clear the virus, even if IFN is administered for one year. Due to the lack of data, IFN therapy cannot be recommended in the moment for patients at special risks, e.g. in the post-transplant situation, during immunosuppressive or hemodialysis therapy.
authors.affiliation: Fachbereich Gastroenterologie, Medizinischen Klinik, Städtischen Krankenanstalten Esslingen.
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Maier
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha
vernacular_title: Therapiestand 1994.