title: [Results of chronic hepatitis C treatment in a public hospital].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic hepatitis C is an important health problem in Chile. In 2005, the Ministry of Health started a pilot treatment program with peg interferon and ribavirin, to be developed in public hospitals all over the country.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report the results of hepatitis C treatment obtained at our institution.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2005 and 2009, 63 patients were referred for treatment. In all, the viral load and genotype were determined. Peg interferon alpha-2a or alpha-2b plus ribavirin were used for therapy for up to 48 weeks in genotypes (G) 1 or 4 or 24 weeks in genotypes 2 or 3. If at the end of treatment, viral load measured by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was negative, it was repeated 6 months later. A negative viral load at that time was considered a sustained viral response (SVR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 51 patients who started treatment, 42 (80.4%) were G1,1 was G2,1 was G4 and 7 were G3. A SVR was reached in 51.1% of G 1 and 4 and in 87.5% in G 3 and 2. In a univariate analysis, the variables significantly associated with a positive viral response were the degree of fibrosis and body mass index.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results are similar to those obtained in other international series, demonstrating that Hispanic ethnicity does not influence the response to treatment. Our good results could be explained by the excellent compliance of the patients to the treatment. A higher degree of fibrosis and a higher BMI were associated with a poor response.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Gastroenterología, Servicio de Medicina, Hospital Clínico San Borja-Arriarán, Chile. edmundoaravena@yahoo.de
authors.forename: Edmundo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aravena
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Juan Pablo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Roblero
authors.forename: Marcela Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Hernán
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iturriaga
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002677:Chile; D002985:Clinical Protocols / Q000592:standards; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012254:Ribavirin