Managing chronic hepatitis. Recent advances in diagnosis and treatment.

A variety of effective therapies are now available for chronic hepatitis of various causes. Most patients with autoimmune chronic active hepatitis respond to immunosuppressive therapy, and those with Wilson's disease respond to copper-chelating therapy. Patients with drug-induced chronic hepatitis improve with cessation of the medication. About 30% to 40% of patients with chronic hepatitis B infection respond to interferon alfa, as do about 50% of those with chronic hepatitis C infection.