Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Rapid Screening of HIV Reverse Transcriptase and Integrase Inhibitors
Published on: April 9, 2014
Difficulties with interferon treatment in former intravenous drug users
Gábor Gazdag1, Gergely Horváth, Olga Szabó
1Consultation-Liaison Psychiatric Service, Szent István and Szent László Hospitals, Gyali ut 5-7, Budapest, Hungary. gazdag@lamb.hu
Objectives:
Intravenous drug use accounts for most of the new hepatitis C infections worldwide. Although there is an urgent need for antiviral treatment of infected intravenous drug users (IDUs), several factors compromise their treatment including lack of treatment adherence and high dropout rate. The aim of this study was to compare antiviral treatment-related problems among former IDUs to HCV-infected patients without a history of IDU.
Methods:
This was a retrospective chart review of HCV-infected IDUs who received combined antiviral therapy at the Hepatology Outpatient Clinic of Szent László Hospital between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2008. A control group of interferon treated patients with no history of IDU matched for age and sex was selected.
Results:
Dropout rate was significantly higher in the IDU group (p = 0.016). Treatment response at the 12th week of treatment was significantly better in the IDU group (p = 0.004). Significantly more IDUs underwent antiviral treatment while in prison (p = 0.008).
Conclusions:
In this study higher dropout rate was found among IDUs. IDUs had a better response rate to antiviral therapy compared to controls. More attention should be paid to factors that worsen treatment adherence of IDUs - particularly lack of abstinence - in order to increase the effectiveness of antiviral therapy.
More Related Videos
10:00High-throughput Quantitative Real-time RT-PCR Assay for Determining Expression Profiles of Types I and III Interferon Subtypes
Published on: March 24, 2015
10:29Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship, Activity Prediction, and Molecular Dynamics of Non-nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
Published on: May 9, 2025
Related Concept Videos
Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis
Pulmonary Tuberculosis I
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
Pharmacokinetics: Drug–Food and Drug–Viral Interactions
Drug Accumulation During Multiple Dosing: Intermittent IV Infusions
Antiviral Nucleoside Inhibitors
Viral Hepatitis I: Introduction