Abstract
Background and objectiveHepatitis C infection is prevalent in Pakistan. The purpose of this study was to observe the therapeutic effects of conventional interferon in combination with ribavirin among treatment-naive hepatitis C patients.MethodsThis descriptive cross-sectional study of hepatitis C combination therapy was conducted at our institute after approval. All the patients received treatment with conventional interferon (5-MU three times weekly) and ribavirin (1000mg/day) for four weeks. A follow-up for the rapid virological response (RVR) was done in the fourth week of treatment. ResultsThe mean age of the patients was 37.43. There was a gradual decrease in RVR with increasing age after four weeks of treatment. ConclusionThe combination therapy showed good RVR in the fourth week among all hepatitis C patients.
Highlights
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) penetrates all body fluids, including the cerebrospinal fluid [1]
The purpose of this study was to observe the therapeutic effects of conventional interferon in combination with ribavirin among treatment-naive hepatitis C patients
Even though the exact mechanism of action of antiviral drug ribavirin remains exploratory, the current gold standard treatment option for HCV patients is its use in combination with interferon-based therapies [4,5]
Summary
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) penetrates all body fluids, including the cerebrospinal fluid [1]. It is transmitted in many ways that include the use of unsterilized syringes, blood donation, the use of unscreened blood products, and transplanted organs. It is usually asymptomatic initially but presents as fatigue, body aches, and fever [2]. Even though the exact mechanism of action of antiviral drug ribavirin remains exploratory, the current gold standard treatment option for HCV patients is its use in combination with interferon-based therapies [4,5]. The purpose of this study was to observe the therapeutic effects of conventional interferon in combination with ribavirin among treatment-naive hepatitis C patients
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