Outcome, tolerability and compliance of compassionate use interferon and ribavirin for hepatitis C infection in a shared care hospital clinic

Abstract

These 'shared care' clinic results compare well with controlled clinical trials using combination therapy for chronic HCV infection. Outcomes were poorer in genotype 1 patients and in patients with cirrhosis. Compliance with therapy was excellent because of the 'Shared Care Programme' with participation of general practitioners, psychiatrists and hepatitis C nurse practitioners in the management protocol.

Coping Strategies Used by Patients Infected with Hepatitis C Virus Who Are Facing Medication Costs

“…The benefits of this type of collaborative health care delivery model have been reported previously. 43 Almost 60% of the study population were concerned about having sufficient financial resources to afford their medications, a proportion lower than those reported in previous studies (using a similar approach) for patients with hypertension and dyspepsia in the United Kingdom (70%) 16,24 and Italy (66%). 16 This difference might arise because of differences in the health care systems and the chronic diseases examined; differences in study design, sample size, or patient characteristics; price elasticity across therapeutic classes; and variable reimbursement strategies.…”

Interferon‐induced vitiligo in hepatitis C patients: a case series

“…Kontorinis et al. reported 13 of 81 patients experienced dermatological side effects who were treated with IFN‐alpha for HCV including seven patients with nonspecific rash, five with psoriasis and one with eczema 17,18 . Tinio et al.…”

Hepatitis C Infection, Treatment Regimens, and Thyroid Function Abnormalities

“…13 These will induce a rise in the thyroid autoantibodies titer. 11,19 Figure 1 summarizes the proposed pathogenesis of this condition. The addition of treatment regimens that include ␣-IFN may cause hypothyroidism, at least in part, by an abnormal expression and function of key proteins involved in iodine uptake and organification.…”