Antiviral therapy for treatment naïve patients with hepatitis C virus.
This article focuses on the most recent therapies for patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) who are naïve to therapy. The primary end point for the treatment of naïve HCV patients is viral eradication or a sustained virological response, which is defined as the absence of HCV in the serum, as detected by a sensitive polymerase chain reaction test, 24 weeks after stopping antiviral therapy. Recent data suggest that an SVR can be equated with a biochemical, virological,and histological response that is sustained for up to 5 years and is conceptually a cure of HCV in 90% of patients.
Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattack Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000075202:Contraindications; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010349:Patient Compliance; D018579:Patient Selection; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a