[Treatment of chronic hepatitis C in patients without previous treatment]

Current therapy for hepatitis "C" chronic infection in native patients is the combination of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin. In our country we have available two kinds of pegylated interferons of 12 and 40 kilodaltons, with these combination the response rates is from 50% to 80% in patients with genotype 1 or different to 1 respectively. The best predictors of response are the viral load and the genotype. 24 weeks of therapy is sufficient for patients with genotypes 2 or 3 and 48 weeks in patients with genotype 1. The optimal dose of ribavirin for use in combination with either form of peginterferon is not clear and it goes from 800 mg, to 1200 mg. The side effects with these interferons are the same than the standard interferon. liver biopsy is recommended prior to embarking upon a course of antiviral therapy.