Aamir Abbas, Javed Iqbal, Muhammad Ashraf.
Chronic hepatitis C and efficacy of interferon chemotherapy.
J Sheikh Zayed Med Coll Jan ;2(3):190-2.

Background: Chemotherapy with various drugs is in practice for the management of chronic hepatitis C. One of these drugs is áinterferon. Objectives: To study the efficacy of á-interferon therapy in male hepatitis C patients of Faisalabad region of Pakistan. Period: Jan. to June 2000. Setting: Clinical laboratory Nawaz Medicare Hospital, Model Town, Faisalabad. Material and Methods: This international study was conducted on 20 male hepatitis C patients of 24 to 51 years of age, receiving injection of á-interferon thrice a week were selected and their sera were analyzed after the completion of 6 months chemotherapy. Results: After six month of treatment with á interferon, (18)90% of the patients became negative for HCV. The levels of serum total bilirubin before (0.939± 0.07mg/dl) and after treatment (0.924± 0.09mg/dl) with á-interferon remained almost normal. Similar results were observed for serum direct and indirect bilirubin.The levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in our study subjects were within normal limits before and after treatment with á-interferon. The levels of Serum Glutamate Pyruvate Transaminsae (SGPT) were highly raised (337.40 ± 75.38 U/l) prior to treatment and became normal (26.8±7.42U/l) after treatment with á-interferon. Conclusion: á-interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C patients for a period of 6 months gives sustained virological as well as biochemical responses and is useful for maintenance of SGPT values within normal limits in hepatitis C patients like other countries of the world.

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