PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Patel, Keyur
AU  - McHutchison, John G.
TI  - Initial treatment for chronic hepatitis C
DP  - 2004 May 01
TA  - Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine
PG  - S8--S12
VI  - 71
IP  - 5 suppl 3
4099  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/71/5_suppl_3/S8.short
4100  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/71/5_suppl_3/S8.full
SO  - Cleve Clin J Med2004 May 01; 71
AB  - The main treatment goal in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the prevention of progressive hepatic fibrosis by eradicating serum and intrahepatic virus. The current standard of care in previously untreated patients with chronic hepatitis C is combination therapy with pegylated interferon alfa and ribavirin. The duration of therapy and the dose of ribavirin should be determined according to the patient’s HCV genotype. Adherence to the full dose of therapy for the prescribed treatment duration enhances the likelihood of sustained viro-logic response. Early virologic response is a good predictor of eventual sustained response for patients with HCV genotype 1 infection. Despite important gains in treating chronic hepatitis C, many treatment challenges remain.