Muhammad Khuram Nouman, Bushra Zaidi, Ghulam Mohiuddin, Faryal Asif, Muhammad Khan Malik.
Hepatitis C; the Incidence of Relapse among patients Taking Interferon Therapy.
Professional Med J Jan ;25(3):387-91.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most communal source of non-A, non-B viral hepatitis in the world. The disease is illusory, and the majority of patients do not acquire jaundice at its onset. Treatment of hepatitis C with interferon attained a sustained virological response (SVR) in almost 50% of the patients with HCV infection. Viral genotype is important to determine the response. The present study aims to provide the incidence of relapse of HCV in patients taking interferon therapy and to identify the predictors for relapse. Study Design: Retrospective observational study. Setting: Department of Medicine, DHQ Teaching Hospital, Sargodha. Period: Two years. Methods: A total of 60 patients were retrospectively evaluated for this study. The exclusion criteria include the patients co- infected with hepatitis B virus or HIV. All the patients were monitored 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 24 weeks after the end of treatment with interferon alpha. Results: We observed that the patients with relapse were significantly older and heavier (P value < 0.05). At the start of treatment, viral load was higher in relapsed patients (P value < 0.04). Conclusion: On the bases of our study findings, we can conclude that low incidence of relapse occurred with interferon therapy. High ALT level, viral loads, older age and obesity were some of strong predictors of relapse among HCV patients.

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