title: Treatment of chronic hepatitis C: our experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  While an optimal treatment of chronic hepatitis C has not yet been established, it has been demonstrated that the interferon alpha/ribavirin combination is more effective than interferon alpha monotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and forty-three patients with chronic hepatitis C received the following treatment: eighty patients an 18-month monotherapy (3-month follow-up) and sixty-three patients a 12-month combined therapy (6-month follow-up). Therapeutic efficacy and adverse effects were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 80 patients in the monotherapy group, complete response was achieved in 49.2%. This was reduced to 27.5% three months after therapy. Significant differences were observed in HCV 3 genotype where complete response was achieved in 12 out of 14 patients (p=0.01). With the combined therapy administered to 63 patients, complete response was achieved in 54.5%. This was reduced to 43.2% after 6 months of follow-up. Among the responders or partial responders, significant differences were observed with regard to age (p=0.0047) and subtype 1b (p=0.012). Comparing the groups of naive patients and relapsers, a statistically significant difference (p=0.027) was found in therapeutic efficacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, combined therapy proved more effective than monotherapy. This is, however, not yet a satisfactory solution.
authors.affiliation: Medical Centre Ljubljana, Department of Infectious Diseases, Ljubljana, Slovenia. andreja.sorman@kclj.si
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brinovec
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lesnicar
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meglic-Volkar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maticic
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Baklan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poljak
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Seme
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ferlan-Marolt
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Luzar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin