Abstract
Pegylated interferon and ribavirin combination therapy represent the standard-of-care treatment for chronic hepatitis C, that allows to cure more than half of the patients. However, the success of this bitherapy is in balance with numerous side effects, especially hematologic and psychiatric. This review is focused on complementary treatments (erythropoietin, G-CSF, vitamin E, glutathion, ursodeoxycholic acid and antidepressants) likely to bring a benefit in maintaining adequate interferon and ribavirin dosages and in improving quality of life. This analysis has been performed by using the Medline(R) data base and with data from laboratories which commercialized these molecules. Erythropoietin, G-CSF and antidepressants are the best tools to optimize the bitherapy in its dose and its duration while privileging the quality of life of HCV-infected patients.
MeSH terms
-
Anemia / chemically induced
-
Anemia / prevention & control
-
Antidepressive Agents / therapeutic use
-
Antioxidants / therapeutic use
-
Antiviral Agents / administration & dosage
-
Antiviral Agents / adverse effects*
-
Erythropoietin / therapeutic use
-
Hepatitis C, Chronic / drug therapy*
-
Humans
-
Interferon alpha-2
-
Interferon-alpha / administration & dosage
-
Interferon-alpha / adverse effects*
-
Neutropenia / chemically induced
-
Neutropenia / prevention & control
-
Polyethylene Glycols / administration & dosage
-
Polyethylene Glycols / adverse effects*
-
Recombinant Proteins
-
Ribavirin / administration & dosage
-
Ribavirin / adverse effects*
-
Thrombocytopenia / chemically induced
-
Thrombocytopenia / prevention & control
Substances
-
Antidepressive Agents
-
Antioxidants
-
Antiviral Agents
-
Interferon alpha-2
-
Interferon-alpha
-
Recombinant Proteins
-
Erythropoietin
-
Polyethylene Glycols
-
Ribavirin
-
peginterferon alfa-2b
-
peginterferon alfa-2a