Chronic hepatitis C treatment in näive patients

Hepatitis C (HCV) is a major public health problem worldwide and it is considered that there are about 180 millions of infected people. The natural history of hepatitis C shows that, of those individuals affected by a primo-infection, 55 to 95% evolve into chronicity. The objective of treatment for chronic hepatitis C is to prevent in the long term the complications and death that this disease may cause. In a short term the most important aim is the sustained virological response (SVR), considered a virological response, normalization of the serum ALT level, histological improvement, improvement in patients. quality of life and the risk of transmission reduction. The association Peginterferon alpha. Ribavirin (PEG IFNa-RBV), at the moment, is the standard of care of patients with chronic hepatitis C and compensated cirrhosis. Two PEG IFNa are licensed, PEG IFNa 2a and PEG IFNa 2b. Pegylation is a procedure that allows the union of polyethylene glycol moieties (PEG) to pharmacologic active proteins; in this case, IFNa. Pegylation of the IFNa 2a and 2b provoke important modifications in these proteins: slower absorption, different distribution, slower elimination, and longer half life with major exposure to the drug and lesser antigenicity. The two pegylated interferons available are dissimilar between them. The SVR in chronic hepatitis C patients who were treated with PEG IFNa-RBV in registration trials was 54 to 61%. Patients with genotypes 1 and 4 must be treated 48 weeks and those with genotypes 2 and 3, 24 weeks. In some situations patients could be treated lesser or longer time. Results obtained from the association of PEG IFNa - RBV - Amantadine in chronic hepatitis C patients are controversial. Meta-analysis comparing both PEG IFNs alpha shows a better SVR with PEG IFNa 2a. Therapies in patients with mild chronic hepatitis C have a similar SVR that those with more advanced liver disease and could be treated in this phase of the disease.