Research Plus

Hepatitis C treatment

A systematic review (90 papers) finds that first-time-treatment patients receiving triple antiviral therapy (pegylated interferon, ribavirin, and either boceprevir or telaprevir) for hepatitis C infection are more likely to achieve sustained virological responses (SVR – absence of detectable virus) compared with dual therapy (pegylated interferon plus ribavirin). Triple therapy resulted in SVRs of up to 80% for genotype 1 patients (the most common in the UK) and these patients were significantly more likely (by 22–31 percentage points) to achieve SVR than those on dual therapy. For genotypes 2 and 3 patients, dual therapy for 24 weeks was superior to shorter regimens of 12–16 weeks. No studies looked at long-term clinical outcomes.

 

AHRQ publication number 12(13)-EHC113-EF. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2012.  http://www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/search-for-guides-reviews-and-reports/?pageaction=displayproduct&productid=1299

Tags evidence based practice hepatitis

Occupational Health at Work February/March 2013 (vol. 09/5) pp40