title: Treatment of hepatitis C virus infection: updated Swedish Consensus recommendations.
abstract: In a recent expert meeting, Swedish recommendations for the treatment of HCV infection were upgraded. The panel recommends vaccination against both hepatitis A and B in patients with HCV. Therapy for symptomatic acute HCV infection should be initiated if spontaneous resolution has not occurred within 12 weeks, whereas asymptomatic acute HCV should be treated upon detection. Patients with genotype 2/3 infection should generally be treated for 24 weeks. In patients with a very rapid viral response (vRVR), i.e. HCV RNA below 1000 IU/ml on d 7, treatment can be shortened to 12-16 weeks, provided that no dose reduction has been made. For genotype 1 patients with rapid viral response (RVR), 24 weeks treatment is recommended. For patients with a complete early viral response (cEVR), 48 weeks treatment is recommended, whereas 72 weeks treatment should be considered for patients with partial early viral response (pEVR). For patients with difficult-to-treat disease and with pronounced anaemia, erythropoietin can be used to maintain the ribavirin dose. In HCV-HIV coinfected patients, combination therapy for HCV should, if possible, be initiated before anti-retroviral therapy (ART) is indicated. For liver transplant patients pre-emptive therapy is not recommended; hence, treatment should be deferred until histological recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Virology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg. martin.lagging@medfak.gu.se
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lagging
authors.forename: Rune
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wejstål
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Uhnoo
authors.forename: Barbro
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gerdén
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fischler
authors.forename: Styrbjörn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Friman
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Josephson
authors.forename: Olle
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Karlström
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sangfelt
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schvarz
authors.forename: Ola
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Weiland
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013548:Sweden
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012254:Ribavirin