title: [Therapy of chronic hepatitis C].
abstract: Interferon-alpha is still the only drug with antiviral activity against the hepatitis C virus. However, if the outcome of treatment is measured by highly sensitive virologic test, sustained response rates to interferon monotherapy are low, especially in patients infected with subtype 1 (3-10%). Therefore better therapies are needed. The combination of interferon with ribavirin is a major advance. Although the precise mode of action of ribavirin is unknown, it seems to decrease relapse rates after successful treatment. By combination therapy, 30% of patients with subtype 1 and 65% with subtype 3 had a sustained response. Further improvements can be expected from high-dose induction therapy and from long-acting pegylated interferons. Nonresponders may benefit from antifibrotic agents, like long-term interferon therapy, IL-10 or silymarin.
authors.affiliation: Klinische Abteilung für Gastroenterologie und Hepatologie, Universitätsklinik für Innere Medizin IV, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Wien. peter.ferenci@akh-wien.ac.at
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferenci
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012254:Ribavirin
vernacular_title: Therapie der chronischen Hepatitis C.