You are in Member Communities . Therapy is inadvisable outside of controlled trials for patients who have Clinically decompensated cirrhosis because of hepatitis C. Normal aminotransferase levels. A kidney, liver, heart, or other solid-organ transplant. Specific contraindications to either monotherapy or combination therapy. Contraindications to ribavirin and thus combination therapy include marked anemia, renal dysfunction, and coronary artery or cerebrovascular disease, and, again, inability to practice birth control.
Alpha interferon has multiple neuropsychiatric effects.
Prolonged therapy can cause marked irritability, anxiety, personality changes, depression, and even suicide or acute psychosis. Patients particularly susceptible to these side effects are those with preexisting serious psychiatric conditions and patients with neurological disease. Interferon therapy is also associated with relapse in people with a previous history of drug or alcohol abuse. Alpha interferon should not be given to a patient who has only recently stopped alcohol or substance abuse. Typically a 2-year abstinence is recommended before starting therapy.