Interferon alfa-2b alone or in combination with ribavirin for the treatment of relapse of chronic hepatitis C

Article Abstract:

Patients with hepatitis C who experience a relapse following interferon alpha treatment may benefit from ribavirin in addition to interferon alpha. Researchers randomly assigned 345 such patients to take interferon alpha-2b and ribavirin or interferon alpha-2b alone. After 24 weeks of treatment, 82% of those taking both drugs had no detectable levels of hepatitis C virus in their blood, compared to only 47% of those on interferon alpha-2b alone. Half of those taking both drugs continued to have undetectable virus levels 24 weeks after treatment ended, compared to 5% of those taking interferon alpha-2b alone.

Author: Craxi, Antonio, Zeuzem, Stefan, Shiffman, Mitchell L., Davis, Gary L., Albrecht, Janice, Rustgi, Vinod, Gordon, Stuart C., Trepo, Christian, Ling, Mei-Hsiu, Esteban-Mur, Rafael, Hoefs, John
Publisher: Massachusetts Medical Society
Publication Name: The New England Journal of Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0028-4793
Year: 1998
Hepatitis C, Interferon alpha, Ribavirin

User Contributions:

Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:

CAPTCHA

Lamivudine as initial treatment for chronic hepatitis B in the United States

Article Abstract:

The drug lamivudine appears to be beneficial in the treatment of hepatitis B. This drug is most commonly used to treat HIV infection. In a study of 137 patients, 66 were treated with lamivudine for one year and 71 were treated with a placebo, or inactive substance. Lamivudine was more successful in suppressing the hepatitis B virus than the placebo and was more effective in preventing damage to the liver.

Author: Rubin, Marc, Wright, Teresa L., Dienstag, Jules L., Schiff, Eugene R., Perrillo, Robert P., Goodman, Zachary, Hann, Hie-Won L., Brown, Nathaniel A., Crowther, Lynn, Condreay, Lynn D., Woessner, Mary
Publisher: Massachusetts Medical Society
Publication Name: The New England Journal of Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0028-4793
Year: 1999
Hepatitis B, Lamivudine

User Contributions:

Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:

CAPTCHA


Subjects list: Evaluation, Drug therapy
This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.