[Therapy of chronic hepatitis C]

Advantages in diagnostic and treatment of hepatitis C during the last decade have changed the final outcome of disease. Most important improvements were: development of sensitive, specific and standardized tests for hepatitis C nucleic acid identification, combined treatment with ribavirin and alpha interferon, pegylation of alpha interferon and prove that sustained viral response is optimal surrogate for treatment outcome. Combination of pegyinterferon and ribavirin offered the most efficacious and most suitable treatment with SVR between 54-56%. Results are still dependent of viral genotype and viral load. Due to possible side effects appropriate patient seletion is mandatory.