[Treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection. A study of best predictors for response].

Objective: The aim of this study was evaluate the rate of sustained viral response (SVR) and the influence of different factors on the SVR in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection treated with pegylated interferon alfa 2a and ribavirin.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed 272 naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C who had been treated for 24 weeks or 48 weeks and had been followed for an additional 6 months thereafter.

Results: Out of 272 patients, 243 completed the entire treatment.

[Acute hepatitis due to hepatitis C virus infection in the adult population].

Introduction: Knowledge of acute hepatitis C infection (AHC) is important to design effective prevention and treatment strategies. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical and epidemiological features and outcomes of patients diagnosed with AHC.

Methods: A retrospective clinical-epidemiological study was carried out in adult patients diagnosed with AHC between 2000 and 2008 in our hospital.

[Hepatitis B virus genotypes in chronic carriers on the island of Gran Canaria. Clinical and epidemiological characteristics].

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes in Spanish hepatitis B carriers, and to study the differences in epidemiological characteristics, e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion, serum DNA viral levels (VL) and liver function alterations.

Methods: This study included 108 patients. Genotyping was carried out in 84 with the INNO-LiPA HBV genotyping assay (Innogenetics).