Practice Recommendations

Management and Treatment of Hepatitis C Viral Infection: Recommendations from the Department of Veterans Affairs Hepatitis C Resource Center Program and the National Hepatitis C Program Office

The definitive version of this article is available in Am J Gastroenterol 2006;101:2360-2378 (PDF version).

Table of Contents ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION PRETREATMENT ASSESSMENTS Laboratory Testing Liver Biopsy Psychiatric Assessment Assessments for Substance Use Disorders Adherence Autoimmune Disorders Hepatitis A and B and Other Liver Diseases Pregnancy Ocular Evaluation Extrahepatic Manifestations of Hepatitis C Evaluation for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Coinfection DEFINITIONS OF RESPONSE THERAPY FOR PREVIOUSLY UNTREATED PATIENTS Peginterferon Alfa plus Ribavirin Monotherapy with Peginterferon Alfa Interferon Alfa plus Ribavirin Predictors of Treatment Response to Peginterferon Alfa plus Ribavirin Duration of Treatment GROUPS WITH SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR THERAPY Patients with Compensated Cirrhosis Patients Who Have Failed to Respond or Have Relapsed with Prior HCV Therapy Patients with Minimal Histologic Evidence of Liver Disease Patients with Persistently Normal Serum Alt Patients with Genotype 4-6 Infection Patients >65 Years and/or with Significant Comorbidities Patients on Methadone Maintenance Patients with Ongoing Alcohol Use African Americans Patients with Body Mass Index >30 and Hepatic Steatosis Patients with HCV-HIV Coinfection Patients with Renal Disease including Hemodialysis Patients with Acute Hepatitis C Patients with Decompensated Cirrhosis Patients with a History of Solid Organ Transplantation MONITORING TREATMENT SAFETY AND EFFICACY Treatment Monitoring Dose Modifications GROWTH FACTORS SUMMARY OF CURRENT RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUDING COMMENTS Contributors ABBREVIATIONS AND GLOSSARY OF TERMS TABLES REFERENCES