[Chronic hepatitis delta--the course and approaches to therapy]

Variants of chronic hepatitis delta (CHD) course were studied in 94 patients. Slow progress (for decades) occurred most frequently, while rapid progress to hepatic cirrhosis (for 1-2 years) or benign course presenting as greater than 3-year remission were rare findings. In addition to routine therapeutic modalities, except corticosteroids, 43 CHD patients received recombinant alpha 2-interferon (reaferon). Follow-up results evaluated separately for hepatic cirrhosis and free of it CHD patients support clinical promise of Soviet recombinant alpha 2-interferon against CHD.