title: Hepatitis C treatment & management.
abstract: Combination therapy with pegylated interferon alfa (PEG-IFN alfa) and the nucleoside analogue ribavirin is the current standard of care in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Patients with HCV genotype 1 have a much less favorable response to therapy and are treated for 12 months, compared with patients infected with genotypes 2 and 3, in whom a 6-month course of therapy is sufficient. If viremia is present after 6 months, additional therapy has a negligible benefit, and treatment should be stopped in all patients regardless of the viral genotype. With HIV coinfection, all patients with a response to therapy at the end of 6 months should receive an additional 6 months of combination therapy regardless of the genotype. Patients with acute HCV infection should be treated for 6 months. The addition of protease inhibitors to the combination of PEG-IFN alfa and ribavirin is becoming the new standard of care for the treatment of chronic HCV infection. Regimens that include a protease inhibitor significantly improve sustained virologic response rates in patients with genotype 1 HCV infection.
authors.affiliation: "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Gastroenterology Department, Emergency University Hospital, Bucharest.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Andronescu
authors.affiliation: "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Gastroenterology Department, Emergency University Hospital, Bucharest.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Diaconu
authors.affiliation: "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Gastroenterology Department, Emergency University Hospital, Bucharest.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tiuca
authors.affiliation: "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, "Dr. Carol Davila" Clinical Nephrology Hospital, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Purcarea
authors.affiliation: "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Gastroenterology Department, Emergency University Hospital, Bucharest.
authors.forename: C I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Andronescu
mesh_terms: D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000379:methods*; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D009842:Oligopeptides; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011392:Proline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012008:Recurrence; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069474:Sofosbuvir; D013997:Time Factors; D014542:Uridine Monophosphate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha; D009842:Oligopeptides; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C486464:telaprevir; C512204:N-(3-amino-1-(cyclobutylmethyl)-2,3-dioxopropyl)-3-(2-((((1,1-dimethylethyl)amino)carbonyl)amino)-3,3-dimethyl-1-oxobutyl)-6,6-dimethyl-3-azabicyclo(3.1.0)hexan-2-carboxamide; D011392:Proline; D014542:Uridine Monophosphate; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a; D000069474:Sofosbuvir
keywords: hepatitis C; interferons; protease inhibitors; ribavirin