Treatment of relapsers after combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C.
A significant number of patients with chronic hepatitis C relapse after treatment. As therapy for CHC has improved over the last decade, the issue of retreating patients who did not achieve a sustained virologic response with previous treatment regimens frequently arises. Several studies have assessed the efficacy of pegylated interferon (IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) combination therapy in IFN and RBV therapy relapsers. Patients who have relapsed after therapy have significantly higher SVR rates than those who are nonresponders to therapy and should be considered candidates for retreatment. Predictors of a favorable response to therapy in naïve patients appear to also predict response to therapy in patients who have relapsed previously.
Division of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 450 East 69th Street, New York, NY 10021, USA.
Furqaan
F
Ahmed
Ira M
IM
Jacobson
D000277:Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019233:Retreatment; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055502:Secondary Prevention
D000277:Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a