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Semin Liver Dis 2004; 24: 89-95
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-832933
Copyright © 2004 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Role of Amantadine and Other Adjuvant Therapies in the Treatment of Hepatitis C

Stefano Brillanti1
  • 1University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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Publication History

Publication Date:
02 September 2004 (online)

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There is room for improvement in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C with standard interferon (IFN) alfa. In the search for treatment adjuvants, the antiviral compound ribavirin has been found to significantly increase sustained virological response. Despite this improvement, the rate of “cure” remains low at approximately 40%, thus stimulating the search for additional adjuvants. In 1997, it was suggested that amantadine monotherapy could be used successfully to treat patients with chronic hepatitis C who had previously failed IFN alfa therapy, but ensuing studies could not support these findings. Instead, researchers have studied amantadine as an adjuvant to either IFN alfa alone or IFN alfa plus ribavirin, and promising results have been published. In this article, the author reviews the role of amantadine alone or as part of combination therapy regimens for chronic hepatitis C and briefly looks at the use of other agents as potential adjuvants.

KEYWORDS

Triple therapy - retreatment - nonresponders - difficult patients

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Stefano BrillantiM.D. 

Servizio di Gastroenterologia, Policlinico S. Orsola Malpighi

Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy

Email: sbrillanti@compuserve.com

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