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    Transplantation. 2005 Feb 15;79(3):261-8.

    Liver transplantation and hepatitis C virus: systematic review of antiviral therapy.

    Triantos C, Samonakis D, Stigliano R, Thalheimer U, Patch D, Burroughs A.

    Liver Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Medicine Royal Free Hospital, Pond Street, London NW3 2QG, United Kingdom.

    Comment in:

    Antiviral therapy for recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation is increasingly used. This systematic review presents both viral and histological response in three areas: pretransplant (5 studies/180 patients), preemptive therapy soon after transplant (10 studies/417 patients), and therapy for established disease (75 studies/2027 patients). There were only 16 randomized studies (543 patients). Significant dose reductions and drug stoppage rates occurred. The data on histological improvement and risk of rejection are conflicting. Even the best antiviral therapy (pegylated interferon/ribavirin) is neither easily used nor reasonably effective. The best strategy will be pretransplant treatment, most likely with newer agents.

    PMID: 15699754 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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    Patient drug information

    • Ribavirin (Copegus®, Rebetol®)

      Ribavirin is used with another medication called an interferon to treat hepatitis C. Ribavirin is in a class of antiviral medications called nucleoside analogues. It works by stopping the virus that causes hepatitis C fr...