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Immunofluorescence to Monitor the Cellular Uptake of Human Lactoferrin and its Associated Antiviral Activity Against the Hepatitis C Virus
Published on: October 1, 2015
Hepatitis C patients' self-reported adherence to treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin
J J Weiss1, L Bhatti, D T Dieterich
1Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA. Jeffrey.Weiss@msnyuhealth.org
Background:
Prior research on adherence to hepatitis C treatment has documented rates of dose reductions and early treatment discontinuation, but little is known about patients' dose-taking adherence.
Aims:
To assess the prevalence of missed doses of pegylated interferon and ribavirin and examine the correlates of dose-taking adherence in clinic settings.
Methods:
One hundred and eighty patients on treatment for hepatitis C (23% coinfected with HIV) completed a cross-sectional survey at the site of their hepatitis C care.
Results:
Seven per cent of patients reported missing at least one injection of pegylated interferon in the last 4 weeks and 21% reported missing at least one dose of ribavirin in the last 7 days. Dose-taking adherence was not associated with HCV viral load.
Conclusions:
Self-reported dose non-adherence to hepatitis C treatment occurs frequently. Further studies of dose non-adherence (assessed by method other than self-report) and its relationship to HCV virological outcome are warranted.
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