BACKGROUND: Appropriate treatment of acute hepatitis C is still a matter of controversy due to the lack of large controlled trials. AIM: To assess the effectiveness of interferon as treatment for acute hepatitis C by meta-analysis. METHODS: MEDLINE search (1985-2002) was supplemented with manual searches of reference lists. Studies were included if they were controlled trials comparing interferon to no treatment and if they included patients with either post-transfusion or sporadic acute hepatitis C. Twelve trials were analyzed (414 patients). The outcome assessed was the sustained virological response (SVR) rate (undetectable hepatitis C virus RNA in serum at least 6 months after cessation of therapy). RESULTS: Interferon significantly increased the SVR (risk difference 49\%; 95\% confidence interval 32.9-65\%) in comparison to no treatment. The risk difference of SVR increased from 5 to 90\% when trials were ordered by increasing interferon weekly dose. Delaying therapy by 8-12 weeks after the onset of disease does not compromise the SVR rate. CONCLUSIONS: Current evidence is sufficient to recommend interferon treatment of patients with acute hepatitis C. A later initiation of therapy yields the same likelihood of response as early treatment. A daily induction dose during the 1st month is the best option of treatment.

When and how to treat acute hepatitis C? / A., Licata; D. D., Bona; Schepis, Filippo; L., Shahied; A., Craxí; C., Cammà. - In: JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY. - ISSN 0168-8278. - STAMPA. - 39:6(2003), pp. 1056-1062. [10.1016/S0168-8278(03)00461-6]

When and how to treat acute hepatitis C?

SCHEPIS, Filippo;
2003

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Appropriate treatment of acute hepatitis C is still a matter of controversy due to the lack of large controlled trials. AIM: To assess the effectiveness of interferon as treatment for acute hepatitis C by meta-analysis. METHODS: MEDLINE search (1985-2002) was supplemented with manual searches of reference lists. Studies were included if they were controlled trials comparing interferon to no treatment and if they included patients with either post-transfusion or sporadic acute hepatitis C. Twelve trials were analyzed (414 patients). The outcome assessed was the sustained virological response (SVR) rate (undetectable hepatitis C virus RNA in serum at least 6 months after cessation of therapy). RESULTS: Interferon significantly increased the SVR (risk difference 49\%; 95\% confidence interval 32.9-65\%) in comparison to no treatment. The risk difference of SVR increased from 5 to 90\% when trials were ordered by increasing interferon weekly dose. Delaying therapy by 8-12 weeks after the onset of disease does not compromise the SVR rate. CONCLUSIONS: Current evidence is sufficient to recommend interferon treatment of patients with acute hepatitis C. A later initiation of therapy yields the same likelihood of response as early treatment. A daily induction dose during the 1st month is the best option of treatment.
2003
39
6
1056
1062
When and how to treat acute hepatitis C? / A., Licata; D. D., Bona; Schepis, Filippo; L., Shahied; A., Craxí; C., Cammà. - In: JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY. - ISSN 0168-8278. - STAMPA. - 39:6(2003), pp. 1056-1062. [10.1016/S0168-8278(03)00461-6]
A., Licata; D. D., Bona; Schepis, Filippo; L., Shahied; A., Craxí; C., Cammà
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11380/641251
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