optimal dose of ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C: from literature evidence to clinical practice

ABSTRACT

Approximately 170 million people worldwide are chronically infected by hepatitis C virus [HCV], which can result in progressive hepatic injury and fibrosis, culminating in cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease. The benchmark therapy for untreated HCV patients is a combination of pegylated interferon-alpha [PEG-IFN] and ribavirin [REV]. several studies have suggested several potential new approaches to improve HCV therapy-optimization of the dose and duration of RBV therapy, accompanied by careful clinical management, is crucial in ensuring the greatest likelihood of a long response to therapy. RBV causes serious side effects, but in clinical practice, there are no alternatives for the treatment of HCV infection. Based on our results, weight-based doses of RVB are advantageous for genotype 1-infected patients, but its success in genotype 2- and 3-infected patients is unknown, particularly for shorter treatment duration