title: Triple therapy in chronic hepatitis C: initial series in a public health program in the South of Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic hepatitis C has great impact on world's health. Current therapy for genotype 1 hepatitis C virus includes protease inhibitors boceprevir and telaprevir, associated to standard therapy - peginterferon alfa + ribavirin. There are no published data in Brazil on the results of this new therapy, and it is interesting an evaluation of what was accomplished up to this moment. Objectives To evaluate virologic response to triple therapy, as well as the safety profile and tolerability.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is a clinical series of patients receiving triple therapy for C hepatitis in a single center of a Public Health System of South Brasil. Out of the 121 patients that initiated the triple therapy, the first patients that finished the treatment and evaluated the sustained virological response (24 weeks after the end of treatment) were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty four genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C monoinfected patients were included. Nineteen (79.2%) patients had been previously treated. Thirteen (54.2%) patients were cirrhotic. Nineteen (79.2%) patients completed the planned therapy. By the end of the treatment, 14 (58.3%) out of 24 patients had undetectable viral load. Sustained virologic response occurred in 12 (50.0%) out of 24 patients, 07 (58.3%) in telaprevir group and 05 (41.7%) in boceprevir group. Out of 24 patients under triple therapy, 58% (n=14) presented anemia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, despite the small number of patients treated with triple therapy evaluated in the current study, it possibly reflects the population under this therapy in real-life.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Paulo R L
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Carla Bortolin
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.affiliation: Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Vivian W
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.affiliation: Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Amanda M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Alberi A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Feltrin
authors.affiliation: Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Cristiane Valle
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Tovo
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001938:Brazil; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011634:Public Health; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D009842:Oligopeptides; D012254:Ribavirin; C486464:telaprevir