Interferon-α for Chronic Hepatitis C: Reducing the Uncertainties
Authors: Raymond S. Koff
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1997)

Editorials15 November 1997Interferon-α for Chronic Hepatitis C: Reducing the UncertaintiesRaymond S. Koff, MDRaymond S. Koff, MDColumbia MetroWest Medical Center; Framingham, MA 01702Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-127-10-199711150-00011 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, recently ranked 10th among notifiable infectious diseases in the United States, is anticipated to affect approximately 30 000 persons in the United States in 1997 [1]. Yet, with nearly 4 million persons estimated to have persistent infection, the prevalence of chronic hepatitis C now exceeds that of alcoholic liver disease. Each year, as many as 12 000 deaths may be attributable to chronic HCV infection. The cumulative societal and health care cost burdens associated with this disease now loom large and are likely to increase dramatically during the next two decades as the population ...References1. Demographic differences in notifiable infectious disease morbidity-United States, 1992-1994. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 1997; 46:637-41. Google Scholar2. Poynard T, Leroy V, Cohard M, Thevenot T, Mathurin P, Opolon P, et al. Meta-analysis of interferon randomized trials in the treatment of viral hepatitis C: effects of dose and duration. Hepatology. 1996; 24:778-9. Google Scholar3. Marcellin P, Boyer N, Gervais A. Martinot M, Pouteau M, Castelnau C, et al. Long-term histologic improvement and loss of detectable intrahepatic HCV RNA in patients with chronic hepatitis C and sustained response to interferon-α therapy. Ann Intern Med. 1997; 127:875-81. Google Scholar4. Bennett WG, Inoue Y, Beck JR, Wong JB, Pauker SG, Davis GL. Estimates of the cost-effectiveness of a single course of interferon-α2b in patients with histologically mild chronic hepatitis C. Ann Intern Med. 1997; 127-855-65. Google Scholar5. Kim WR, Poterucha JJ, Hermans JE, Therneau TM, Dickson ER, Evans RW, et al. Cost-effectiveness of 6 and 12 months of interferon-α therapy for chronic hepatitis C. Ann Intern Med. 1997; 127:866-74. Google Scholar6. Weinstein MC, Siegel JE, Gold MR, Kamlet MS, Russell LB. Recommendations of the Panel on Cost-Effectiveness in Health and Medicine. JAMA. 1996; 276:1253-8. Google Scholar7. Siegel JE, Weinstein MC, Russell LB, Gold MR. Recommendations for reporting cost-effectiveness analysis. Panel on Cost-Effectiveness in Health and Medicine. JAMA. 1996; 276:1339-41. Google Scholar8. Koff RS. Therapy in chronic hepatitis C: say goodbye to the 6-month interferon regimen [Editorial]. Am J Gastroenterol. 1996; 91:2072-4. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Raymond S. Koff, MDAffiliations: Columbia MetroWest Medical Center; Framingham, MA 01702Corresponding Author: Raymond S. Koff, MD, Department of Medicine, Columbia MetroWest Medical Center, 115 Lincoln Street, Framingham, MA 01702. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoEstimates of the Cost-Effectiveness of a Single Course of Interferon-α2b in Patients with Histologically Mild Chronic Hepatitis C William G. Bennett , Yuji Inoue , J. Robert Beck , John B. Wong , Stephen G. Pauker , and Gary L. Davis Cost-Effectiveness of 6 and 12 Months of Interferon-α Therapy for Chronic Hepatitis C W. Ray Kim , John J. Poterucha , John E. Hermans , Terry M. Therneau , E. Rolland Dickson , Roger W. Evans , and John B. Gross Jr. Long-Term Histologic Improvement and Loss of Detectable Intrahepatic HCV RNA in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C and Sustained Response to Interferon-α Therapy Patrick Marcellin , Nathalie Boyer , Anne Gervais , Michele Martinot , Michele Pouteau , Corinne Castelnau , Afef Kilani , Jorge Areias , Anne Auperin , Jean Pierre Benhamou , Claude Degott , and Serge Erlinger Metrics Cited bySerum Concentration of γGT Is a Surrogate Marker of Hepatic TNF-α mRNA Expression in Chronic Hepatitis CLong-term beneficial effects in sustained responders to interferon-alfa therapy for chronic hepatitis CMethodological issues in papers on IFN therapy: time for reappraisalIFN-alpha Receptor mRNA Expression in a United States Sample with Predominantly Genotype 1a/I Chronic Hepatitis C Liver Biopsies Correlates with Response to IFN TherapyRisk factors for development of hepatocellular carcinoma among Australians with hepatitis C: a case-control study 15 November 1997Volume 127, Issue 10Page: 918-920KeywordsAlanine aminotransferaseBiopsyChronic hepatitis CCirrhosisInfectious diseasesInfectious hepatitisLife expectancyLiverLiver diseasesRNA ePublished: 15 August 2000 Issue Published: 15 November 1997 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1997 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...