Antiviral therapy of liver cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis C with interferon

Противовирусная терапия цирроза печени в исходе хронического гепатита С препаратами интерферона
Kakharman Yesmembetov 1, Nurgul Yesmembetova 2
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1 JSC «National Scientific Center for oncology and transplantlogy», General therapy department, Astana, Kazakhstan
2 South Kazakhstan Regional Oncology Center, Department of ultrasound diagnostics, Shymkent, Kazakhstan
J CLIN MED KAZ, Volume 4, Issue 38, pp. 21-24.
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ABSTRACT

1/3 of patients with chronic hepatitis C develop liver cirrhosis in 20 to 30 years’ time in the absense of effective antiviral therapy. By eradicating HCV, antiviral therapy with interferon allows to stop further progression of the liver disease, thereby reducing the risk of decompensation, hepatocellular carcinoma and liver-related death. Priority in starting antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis C cases should be given to patients with fibrosis stages 3-4 (by METAVIR), with the highest risk of liver-related complications.
However, need of antiviral therapy in patients with HCV-induced cirrhosis is restricted by lower efficasy and a high risk of side effects. Randomised studies show, that antiviral therapy of patients with genotype 2/3 HCV-induced cirrhosis with interferon is as effective as in ones with chronic hepatitis, this way allowing it for all patients in stages A-B by Child score. Antiviral therapy of patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis, especially those with genotype 1 HCV, should be carefully weighed against the low efficasy and high risk of, in some cases life-threatening, side effects. Thus, antiviral therapy of patients with sub- and decompensated HCV-induced liver cirrhosis with interferon should be restricted to clinical centres, able to adequately address possible complications (variceal bleeding, ascitis, anemia, severe infection, hepatic encephalopathy, hepatorenal and hepatopulmonary syndrome) and perform TIPS and liver transplantation.
Keywords: chronic hepatitis C, liver cirrhosis, аntiviral therapy, interferon

CITATION

Yesmembetov K, Yesmembetova N. Antiviral therapy of liver cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis C with interferon. Journal of Clinical Medicine of Kazakhstan. 2015;4(38):21-4.

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