Conditions: Hepatitis C, Chronic DIABETES MELLITUS Type 2
Keywords: Nitazoxanide, Sustained viral response Type 2 DIABETICS
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 66
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The purpose of this study is to investigate if nitazoxanide used in combination with interferon alfa and ribavirin is effective in treating Hepatitis c infected type 2 Diabetic patients by improving their sustained viral response by more than 80%.Considering that the study is being conducted in a third world country like Pakistan, the standard treatment of hepatitis C is not cost effective. The aim is to introduce a new treatment comparable in efficacy to peginterferon and also cost effective.

Detailed description:
After taking proper informed consent from patients, patients who fulfill the research criteria are randomized into 2 groups (control/study). Patients in both groups will be treated with conventional interferon alfa and Ribavirin.Those in study group will be given tab nitazoxanide 500mg twice daily in addition to conventional treatment. The patients will be followed up at regular intervals: 0,4,12,24,48 week.At each visit Hepatitis C Virus(PCR)RNA, Liver function tests, complete blood count will be done.

Arms:
arm 1: Tablet Nitazoxanide 500mg twice daily will be added to the injection conventional interferon alfa 3 Million International Units alternate days and capsule Ribavirin 400mg-1200mg weekly for six months arm 2: Injection conventional interferon alfa 3 Million International Units alternate days and capsule ribavirin 400mg-1200mg weekly for six months

Interventions: intervention 1: nitazoxanide intervention 2: conventional interferon alfa intervention 3: Ribavirin
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: nitazoxanide 500mg twice daily intervention 2: Inj interferon 3 Million International Units thrice weekly intervention 3: ribazole

Protocol document: