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1 September 2007

Volume 45, Number 5
Clinical Infectious Diseases 2007;45:583–588
© 2007 by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved.
1058-4838/2007/4505-0009$15.00
DOI: 10.1086/520660
REVIEW ARTICLE

Twelve‐Week Treatment of Acute Hepatitis C Virus with Pegylated Interferon‐α‐2b in Injection Drug Users

Francesco G. De Rosa,1

Olivia Bargiacchi,1

Sabrina Audagnotto,1

Silvia Garazzino,1

Giuseppe Cariti,1

Guido Calleri,2

Olga Lesioba,3

Stefania Belloro,2

Riccardo Raiteri,1 and

Giovanni Di Perri1

1Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Turin, and 2Medical Department of Infectious Diseases and 3Department of Psychiatry, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, Turin, Italy

Injection drug use is the leading risk factor for infection with hepatitis C virus, and interferon (IFN) treatment in this context is associated with a poor rate of adherence. In this article, we review our experience with injection drug users with acute hepatitis C who are treated with pegylated IFN‐α‐2b for 12 weeks. Acute hepatitis C was diagnosed according to standardized criteria, and patients were treated with a median dosage of IFN‐α‐2b of 1.33 μg/kg per week. A sustained virological response was achieved in 17 (74%) of 23 patients. A sustained virological response was achieved in 14 (87%) of 16 patients treated with a dosage of 1.33 μg/kg per week and in 3 (43%) of 7 patients treated with a lower dosage. Sustained virological response was significantly associated only with a pegylated IFN‐α‐2b dosage 1.33 μg/kg per week ( ). A 12‐week regimen of pegylated IFN to treat injection drug users with hepatitis C has a compliance that is much higher than that reported with a 24‐week regimen. Adverse effects are minimal if patients are carefully selected.

Received 4 January 2007; accepted 4 April 2007; electronically published 19 July 2007.

Reprints or correspondence: Dr. Francesco G. De Rosa, Infectious Diseases Dept., Clinica Malattie Infettive, Ospedale Amedeo di Savoia, Corso Svizzera 164, 10149 Turin, Italy ().

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Johannes Wiegand. (2009) Newly acquired hepatitis C-many hurdles from diagnosis until treatment initiation. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 23:12, 1782-1784
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