Open AccessSignificance of iron reduction for the therapy of chronic hepatitis C
Author(s) -
Darko Nožić,
Bela Balint,
Nebojša Stanković,
J Dimitrijević,
Goraeskovic
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
vojnosanitetski pregled
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.123
H-Index - 19
eISSN - 2406-0720
pISSN - 0042-8450
DOI - 10.2298/vsp0502161n
Subject(s) - medicine , phlebotomy , ribavirin , chronic hepatitis , pegylated interferon , hepatitis c , gastroenterology , hepatitis c virus , immunology , hepatitis , viral hepatitis , interferon , virus
It has been established that many patients with chronic hepatitis C have elevated serum iron, feritin levels and iron deposites in the liver. Therefore, the liver damage due to hepatitis C virus may be aggravated with iron overload. In many studies higher levels of iron in the blood and the liver were connected with the decreased response to interferon-alfa therapy for chronic viral hepatitis C. Recent introduction of pegylated interferons plus ribavirin has improved the therapeutic response, so it is now possible to cure more than 50% of the patients.