Treatment approach in chronic hepatitis C infection

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate retrospectively the results of treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C in our clinic. Material and Methods: We evaluated the treatment results of 109 patients who treated with the diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C between the years of 2003-2015 in our clinic. Results: The 52.3% of the patients were male, the mean age was 52.3, mean ALT value 58.3 IU/ml and average HCV-RNA levels was 3,7x106 IU/ml. Previous treatment history in 47 patients (43%) was available. Eigthy-one patients (74.3%) received treatment of pegylated interferon and ribavirin and 28 patients(25.7%) received combination of pegylated interferon, ribavirin and telaprevir. Early virologic response were obtained in 99(90.8%) of 109 patients. Sustained virologic response was more higher in patients who achieved early virologic response. Sustained viralogic response in group of PegIFN/R was %74.1 and in group of PegIFN/R/T was 76.9%. At least one of complaints as rash, itching, taste disorder and anorectal pain were observed in PegIFN/R/T group. All patients had anemia as the most common hematologic side-effect. Depressive symptoms was observed in 19% of patients. Conclusion: With available treatment options in our country, patients who can not be achieved to SVR rates are available. There is a need for new antiviral drugs that used in the world for the patients infected with genotype 1 who had unsuccessful treatment. [Cukurova Med J 2016; 41(2.000): 342-346]