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Updated: Aug 30, 2026

A Protocol for Analyzing Hepatitis C Virus Replication
Published on: June 26, 2014
When and how to treat acute hepatitis C?
Anna Licata1, Danilo Di Bona, Filippo Schepis
1Cattedra di Gastroenterologia, Istituto di Clinica Medica I, University of Palermo, Piazza delle Cliniche, 2, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
Background:
Appropriate treatment of acute hepatitis C is still a matter of controversy due to the lack of large controlled trials.
Aim:
To assess the effectiveness of interferon as treatment for acute hepatitis C by meta-analysis.
Methods:
MEDLINE search (1985-2002) was supplemented with manual searches of reference lists. Studies were included if they were controlled trials comparing interferon to no treatment and if they included patients with either post-transfusion or sporadic acute hepatitis C. Twelve trials were analyzed (414 patients). The outcome assessed was the sustained virological response (SVR) rate (undetectable hepatitis C virus RNA in serum at least 6 months after cessation of therapy).
Results:
Interferon significantly increased the SVR (risk difference 49%; 95% confidence interval 32.9-65%) in comparison to no treatment. The risk difference of SVR increased from 5 to 90% when trials were ordered by increasing interferon weekly dose. Delaying therapy by 8-12 weeks after the onset of disease does not compromise the SVR rate.
Conclusions:
Current evidence is sufficient to recommend interferon treatment of patients with acute hepatitis C. A later initiation of therapy yields the same likelihood of response as early treatment. A daily induction dose during the 1st month is the best option of treatment.
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