TY - JOUR
T1 - Long-term therapy with interferon in anti-HCV positive chronic hepatitis
T2 - Is it conceivable?
AU - Perasso, A.
AU - Testino, G.
AU - Sumberaz, A.
AU - Ansaldi, F.
PY - 1996/3
Y1 - 1996/3
N2 - HCV positive hepatitis possesses a relevant social impact as regards national health costs. On the other hand, interferon (IFN) therapy represents to date the best therapeutic approach to this problem. However, several clinical questions have arisen regarding the efficacy and safety of long-term treatments, and above all the management of those patients who did not respond to acute therapy. Nevertheless, it is well known there is a high rate of relapse after the cessation of treatment. The goal of the present paper has therefore been to verify both efficacy and safety of a weekly single dose of IFN in maintaining an adequate remission rate in 38 out-patients who obtained a good response (either type I or II according to Marcellin's classification) to a 12 months' IFN course. Our results evidenced that a maintenance therapy with a single a weekly dose of IFN (3MU) did not seem to lead to a lower rate of relapses when compared to patients who were not given any treatment.
AB - HCV positive hepatitis possesses a relevant social impact as regards national health costs. On the other hand, interferon (IFN) therapy represents to date the best therapeutic approach to this problem. However, several clinical questions have arisen regarding the efficacy and safety of long-term treatments, and above all the management of those patients who did not respond to acute therapy. Nevertheless, it is well known there is a high rate of relapse after the cessation of treatment. The goal of the present paper has therefore been to verify both efficacy and safety of a weekly single dose of IFN in maintaining an adequate remission rate in 38 out-patients who obtained a good response (either type I or II according to Marcellin's classification) to a 12 months' IFN course. Our results evidenced that a maintenance therapy with a single a weekly dose of IFN (3MU) did not seem to lead to a lower rate of relapses when compared to patients who were not given any treatment.
KW - Alanineaminotransferase
KW - Hepatitis chronic anti-HCV positive
KW - Interferon
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M3 - Article
C2 - 8668290
AN - SCOPUS:0029974272
VL - 87
SP - 69
EP - 74
JO - Minerva Medicolegale e Archivio di Antropologia Criminale
JF - Minerva Medicolegale e Archivio di Antropologia Criminale
SN - 0026-4806
IS - 3
ER -