title: Digestive Disease Week 2000 conference report: New treatments for chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: At the Digestive Disease Week (DDW) conference and 101st Meeting of the American Gastroenterological Association in San Diego, California, May 22 to 24, 2000, over 400 abstracts on hepatitis C were submitted for posters or oral presentations to the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. A substantial portion of the program discussed the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, focusing on interferon and ribavirin combination therapy, substitution of amantadine for ribavirin, and the use of pegylated interferons. In randomized, clinical trials, combination therapy with interferon- alpha-2B and ribavirin results in a greater sustained virilogical response than treatment with interferon alone. Combination therapy is generally safe and well tolerated, but there is a need to monitor patients throughout treatment for hemolytic side effects, depression, and weight and lipid profiles. In the present review some background information on chronic hepatitis C is given and some of the more relevant abstracts presented on this subject at the DDW conference are highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Neuman
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003226:Congresses as Topic; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a