The management of chronic hepatitis

Current Opinion in Gastroenterology

Volumn 12, Issue 3, 1996, Pages 217-223

  Sherlock, Dame Sheila ^a  

^a ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

AZATHIOPRINE; HEPATITIS B(E) ANTIGEN; INTERFERON; LAMIVUDINE; PREDNISONE; RIBAVIRIN;

AUTOIMMUNE HEPATITIS; CHRONIC HEPATITIS; HEPATITIS B; HEPATITIS C; LIVER CIRRHOSIS; REVIEW;

EID: 8944240843     PISSN: 02671379     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1097/00001574-199605000-00002     Document Type: Review

References (62)

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22. Manesis EK, Petrou C, Brouzas D, Hadqiyannis S: Optic tract neuropathy complicating low-dose interferon treatment J Hepatol 1994, 21:474-477. Three patients receiving 3 million units of interferon alfa three times a week developed blurred vision, and optic tract neuropathy was confirmed. In two, it was transient, but in the third decreased visual activity was present 2 years later.
23. Sugano S, Yanagimoto M, Suzuki T, Sato M, Onmura H, Aizawa H, Makino H: Retinal complications with elevated circulating plasma C5a associated with interferon-α therapy for chronic active hepatitis C. J Gastroenterol 1994, 89:2054-2056. Retinal changes in two patients were related to activation of complement 5 with subsequent retinal artery infarction or perhaps microvascular emboli.
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27. Desmet VJ, Gerber M, Hoofnagle JH, Manns M, Scheuer PJ: Classification of chronic hepatitis: diagnosis, grading and staging. Hepatology 1994, 19:1513-1516. A new method of grading chronic hepatitis based on etiology and activity and staging on liver biopsy.
28. Serfaty L, Giral P, Loria A, Andreani T, Legendre C, Poupon R: Factors predictive of the response to Interferon in patients with chronic hepatitis C. J Hepatol 1994, 21:12-17. The risk factor for exposure and disease stage are major determinants of the short-term response to interferon. Cholestasis and bile acids play a role in resistance to Interferon.
29. Canjeevaram HS, Everhart JE, Hoofnagle JH: Predictors of a sustained beneficial response to interferon alfa therapy in chronic hepatitis C. Hepatology 1995, 22:1326-1329. All predictive factors and the construction of multivariate analysis of results are discussed.
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33. Martinot-Peignoux M, Marcellin P, Pouteau M, Castelnau C, Boyer N, Poliquin M, Degott C, Descombes I, Le Breton V, Milotova V, et a/.: Pretreatment serum hepatitis C virus RNA levels and hepatitis C virus genotype are the main and independent prognostic factors of sustained response to interferon alfa therapy in chronic hepatitis C. Hepatology 1995, 22:1050-1056. Serum HCV RNA genotypes predict response to interferon. Unfortunately, both are difficult to perform and costly.
34. Didati G, Bonetti P, Tagger A, Casarin C, Noventa F, Ribero M, Fasola M, Ruol A, Realdi G: Relationship between serum HCV markers and response to interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C: evaluation of HCV genotypes during and after long-term follow-up. Dig Dis Sci 1994, 39:2497-2502. Clearance of serum HCV RNA during interferon treatment and a sustained response was closely related to genotype 2.
35. Alyama T, Yoshioka K, Hirofuji H: Changes in serum hepatitis C virus RNA titer and response to interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Dig Dis Sci 1994, 39:2244-2249. Serum HCV RNA is a sensitive method of following the effects of treatment in chronic HCV infection.
36. Mizokumi M, Lau JYN, Suzuki K: Differential sensitivity of hepatic C virus quasispecies in interferon-α therapy. J Hepatol 1994, 21:844-846. Quasispecies of HCV vary in their response to interferon therapy.
37. Koizumi K, Enamoto N, Kurosaki M, Murakami T, Izumi N, Marumo F, Sato C: Diversity of quasispecies in various disease stages of chronic hepatitis C virus infection and Its significance in interferon treatment Hepatology 1995, 22:30-35. Quasispecies become more diverse as the disease progresses and interferon becomes less effective.
38. Kanazawa Y, Hayashi N, Mita E, Li T, Hagiwara H, Kasahara A, Fusamoto H, Kamade T: Influence of viral quasispecies on effectiveness of interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C patients. Hepatology 1994, 20:1121-1130. Quasispecies' complexity and diversity of hypervariable regions of the genome can be related to the response to antiviral treatment.
39. Poynard T, Bedossa P, Chevallier M, Mathurein P, Lemonnier C, Trepo C, Caizigou P, Payen JL, Sajus M, Costa JM, et al., and the Multicenter Study Group: A comparison of three interferon alfa-2b regimens for the long-term treatment of chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis. N Engl J Med 1995, 332:1457-1462. Treatment with 3 million units of interferon three times a week for 18 months produced better histologic findings and serum ALT than regimens with a lower dose or a shorter duration of therapy.
40. Kasahara A, Hayashi N, Hiramatsu N, Oshita M, Hagiwara H, Katayama K, Kato M, Manuzawa M, Yoshihara H, Kishida Y, et al.: Ability of prolonged Interferon therapy to suppress relapse after cessation of therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C: a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Hepatology 1995, 21:291-297. Prolonged Interferon therapy (52 weeks) suppresses relapse even in genotype 1b patients. However, 38% are resistant even to long-term interferon therapy.
41. Reichard O, Glaucmann H, Norkrans G: Histological outcome in patients with chronic hepatitis C given a 60-week interferon alfa-2b treatment course. Liver 1994, 14:169-174. A prolonged course of interferon increased the sustained response up to 62%. Hepatic histology showed an improvement in those responding.
42. Chemello L, Bonetti P, Cavalletto L, Talato F, Donadon V, Casarin P, Belussi F, Frezza M, Noventa F, Pontisso P, et al., and the Tri Veneto Viral Hepatitis Group: Randomized trial comparing three different regimes of alpha-2-interferon in chronic hepatitis C. Hepatology 1995, 22:700-706. A large multicenter, randomized trial showed that sustained response to interferon alfa in chronic hepatitis C is affected by dose and duration of therapy, particularly in those infected with HCV genotype 1b.
43. Yuki N, Hayashi N, Kasahara A, Hagiwara H, Takehara T, Oshita M, Katayama K, Fusamoto H, Kamada I: Pretreatment viral load and response to prolonged interferon-α course for chronic hepatitis C. J Hepatol 1995, 22:457-463. A 52-week course of interferon increased the incidence of sustained response in highly viremic patients.
44. Poynard T, Leray V, Cohard M, Mathurm P, Opolon P, Zarski J-P: Metaanalysis of interferon randomized trials in the treatment of viral hepatitis C: effects of dose and duration. Hepatology 1995, 22:113A. The most effective regimen for treating chronic hepatitis C was 3 million units three times a week for at least 12 months.
45. Picciotto A, Callea F, Varagona G, Bardellini E, Borzone S, Palombino MA, Dodero M, Marenco G, Menardo G, Celle G: Lymphoblastoid interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C: biochemical, virological and histological evaluation of two difference doses. Liver 1995, 15:20-24. A dose of 6 million units did not increase the response rate as compared with 3 million units. The lower dose improved liver histology and abolished HCV viremia in responders.
46. Fong T-L, Morgan TR, Phan CG, Hoefs JC: Raising the dose of interferon does not improve the response in chronic hepatitis C. J Clin Gastroenterol 1995, 20:42-44. Increasing the dose of interferon to 5 to 6 million units in patients with chronic HCV who are not responding to 3 million units three times a week is unlikely to lead to sustained normalization of ALT levels.
47. Marcellin P, Pouteau M, Martinot-Peignoux M, Degos F, Duchatelle V, Boyer N, Lemonnier C, Degott C, Erlinger S, Benhamou J-P: Lack of benefit of escalating dosage of interferon alfa in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Gastroenterology 1995, 100:156-165. Increasing the dose of interferon even up to 10 million units three times a week did not improve the overall response rate.
48. Roffi L, Mels GC, Antonelli G, Bellati G, Panizzuti F, Piperno A, Pozzi M, Ravizza D, Angeli G, Dianzani F, Mancia G: Breakthrough during recombinant interferon alfa therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection: prevalence, etiology and management Hepatology 1995, 21:645-649. Neutralizing interferon alfa antibodies developed in some patients being treated for chronic HCV infection. These patients responded to natural lymphoblastoid interferon.
49. Gumber SC, Chopra S: Hepatitis C: a multifaceted disease. Review of extrahepatic manifestations. Ann Intern Med 1995, 123:615-620. A comprehensive review. The side effects of interferon therapy are tabulated.
50. Schirren CA, Zachoval R, Schirren CG, Gerbes AL, Pape GE: A role for chronic hepatitis C virus infection in a patient with cutaneous vasculitis, cryoglobulinemia, and chronic liver disease: effective therapy with interferon-α Dig Dis Sci 1995, 40:1221-1225. This study found that HCV RNA was absent or in very small quantities in the cryoprecipitate.
51. Yamada R, Johnson RJ, Gretch DR, Osara H, lauma R, Sasaki T: Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis associated with hepatitis C virus infection-α Am J Kidney Dis 1995, 25:67-69. High dose Interferon therapy resulted in clinical remission with loss of serum HCV RNA and improved appearances on kidney biopsy.
52. Kakumu S, Yoshioka K, Wakita T, Ishikawa Y, Takayanagi M, Higashi Y: A pilot study of ribavirin and Interferon beta for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. Gastroenterology 1993, 105:507-512.
53. Brillanti S, Garson J, Foli M, Whitby K, Deaville R, Masci C, Miglioli M, Barbara L: A pilot study of combination therapy with ribavirin plus Interferon alfa for Interferon alfa-resistant chronic hepatitis C. Gastroenterology 1994, 107:812-817. Confirms the benefit of the interferon-ribavirin combination and reports a decrease in necroinflammatory activity on liver biopsy.
54. Schvarcz R, Yun ZB, Sonnerborg A, Weiland O: Combination treatment with Interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C in patients who have failed to achieve sustained response to Interferon alone: Swedish experience. J Hepatol 1995, 23(suppl 2): 17-21. Combination therapy is frequently successful for sustained biochemical response and virus eradication in HCV patients who do not show a sustained response with interferon alfa alone.
55. Chemello L, Cavalletto L, Bernardinello E, Silvesbri E, Benuegnu L, Pontisso P, Alberti A: Response to ribavirin, to interferon and to a combination of both in patients with chronic hepatitis C and its relation to HCV genotypes. J Hepatol 1994, 21:S12. Another study reporting the beneficial effects on the interferon-ribavirin combination in improving the percentage of those showing a sustained complete response.
56. Lai MY, Yang PM, Kao JH, Wang JT, Lee HS, Chen DS: Combination therapy of α-interferon and ribavirin in patients with chronic hepatitis C: an interim report [abstract]. Hepatology 1993, 18:93A.
57. Attili AF, Rusticali A, Varriale M, Carli I, Repice AM, Callea F: The effect of ursodeoxycholic acid on serum enzymes and liver histology In patients with chronic active hepatitis: a 12-month double blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Hepatol 1994, 20:315-320. Ursodeoxycholic acid reduces serum transaminases and gammaglutamyl transpeptidase in patients with chronic hepatitis.
58. Boucher E, Jouanolle H, Andre P, Ruffault A, Guyader D, Moirand R, Turlin B, Jacquelinet C, Brissot P, Deugnier Y: Interferon and ursodeoxycholic acid combined therapy in the treatment of chronic virus C hepatitis: results from a controlled randomized trial in 80 patients. Hepatology 1995, 21:322-327. Ursodeoxycholic acid prolongs lowering of serum transaminases following interferon therapy but has little effect on hepatic histology.
59. Olnyk J, Reddy KR, DiBisceglie AM, Jeffers LJ, Parker Tl, Radick JL, Schiff ER, Bacon BR: Hepatic iron concentration as a predictor of response to interferon alpha therapy in chronic hepatitis C. Gastroenterology 1995, 108:1104-1109. Hepatic iron concentration is related to the response to interferon therapy in hepatitis C.
60. Farinati F, Cardin R, De Maria N, Della Libera G, Marafin C, Lecis E, Burra P, Floreani A, Cacchetto A, Naccaroto R: Iron storage, lipid peroxidation and glutathione turnover in chronic anti-HCV positive hepatitis. J Hepatol 1995, 22:449-456. Excess hepatic iron in chronic HCV infection may make the liver susceptible to oxidant injury.
61. Hayashi H, Takikawa T, Nishimura N, Yano M, Isomura T, Sakamoto N: Improvement of serum aminotransferase levels after phlebotomy in patients with chronic active hepatitis C and excess hepatic iron. Am J Gastroenterol 1994, 89:986-988. Another paper stressing the importance of removing excess iron from the liver in patients with chronic HCV infection.
62. Caraceni P, Fagiuoli S, Van Thiel DH: Iron reduction therapy: simply camouflage or a real weapon? Am J Gastroenterol 1995, 89:970-973. A leading article discussing the advantages and disadvantages of phlebotomy in chronic hepatitis C.