Abdul Mohsen1, Suzanne Norris. 1. Department of Gastroenterology, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: About 60% to 85% of people infected with hepatitis C virus will go on to develop chronic hepatitis C, which is now believed to affect 3% of the world's population. METHODS AND OUTCOMES: We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of interventions in treatment-naïve people with chronic hepatitis C infection, but without liver decompensation? What are the effects of interventions in people with chronic hepatitis C infection, but without liver decompensation, who have not responded to interferon treatment? What are the effects of interventions in people with chronic hepatitis C infection, but without liver decompensation, who relapse after interferon treatment? What are the effects of interventions in people with chronic hepatitis C infection who also have HIV? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to April 2008 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically; please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the FDA and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). RESULTS: We found 35 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions. CONCLUSIONS: In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: interferon monotherapy; interferon alfa plus ribavirin; peginterferon monotherapy; and peginterferon plus ribavirin.
INTRODUCTION: About 60% to 85% of people infected with hepatitis C virus will go on to develop chronic hepatitis C, which is now believed to affect 3% of the world's population. METHODS AND OUTCOMES: We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of interventions in treatment-naïve people with chronic hepatitis C infection, but without liver decompensation? What are the effects of interventions in people with chronic hepatitis C infection, but without liver decompensation, who have not responded to interferon treatment? What are the effects of interventions in people with chronic hepatitis C infection, but without liver decompensation, who relapse after interferon treatment? What are the effects of interventions in people with chronic hepatitis C infection who also have HIV? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to April 2008 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically; please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the FDA and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). RESULTS: We found 35 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions. CONCLUSIONS: In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: interferon monotherapy; interferon alfa plus ribavirin; peginterferon monotherapy; and peginterferon plus ribavirin.
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