Development of high-efficiency molecular adsorbent recirculating system: preliminary report.

Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System (MARS) is a liver support system widely employed in the treatment of liver failure. The method is normally well tolerated. To develop a liver support system combining high efficiency and tolerability, we modified the MARS albumin circuit with the insertion of double adsorption units in parallel.

Pegylated interferon-alpha2b plus ribavirin: an efficacious and well-tolerated treatment regimen for patients with hepatitis C virus related histologically proven cirrhosis.

Background: Little is known about the efficacy, safety and tolerability of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis Cvirus (HCV) infection and histologically proven fully established cirrhosis. We aimed here to evaluate the safety of this regimen in such patients and to identify baseline and on-treatment predictors of a sustained virological response (SVR).

Methods: Patients with histologically proven, HCV-induced cirrhosis were randomized to receive pegylated interferon-alpha2b (PEG-IFN-alpha2b; 1.

Daily dose of interferon alpha-2b and ribavirin in treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection: a randomised controlled study.

Objective: The treatment of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection remains disappointing.

Methods: In 1999, we started a multicentre study comparing two regimens of recombinant interferon (IFN) alpha-2b plus ribavirin. Group A (90 patients) received ribavirin plus IFN alpha-2b 5 MU/day for 1 month (induction therapy) followed by IFN alpha-2b 5 MU thrice weekly for 5 months.

Total HCV core antigen assay: a new marker of hepatitis C viremia for monitoring the progress of therapy.

The ability of the total hepatitis C virus (HCV) core antigen assay was evaluated for monitoring the therapeutic responses of HCV-infected patients treated with interferon. The ability to detect and quantitate an independent structural protein component of HCV, in the presence of circulating antibodies, makes this assay a valuable new tool in diagnosis and treatment monitoring. Measurement of total core antigen showed a strong dynamic correlation with HCV RNA data and may serve as an alternative direct marker of viral infection.

Long-term beneficial effects in sustained responders to interferon-alfa therapy for chronic hepatitis C.

Background/aims: Assessment of chronic hepatitis C outcome in sustained responders to interferon requires prolonged observation and close monitoring. We prospectively studied the impact of sustained response on histology and clinically relevant outcomes.

Methods: The 47 sustained responders (ten with cirrhosis) from two interferon trials involving 235 chronic hepatitis C patients (81 with cirrhosis) were included.