Examination of Fiscal Management and the Allocation of Care Act Resources US Department of Health and Human Services: Health REsources and Services Administration
INTRODUCTION
HIV/HCV Coinfection
HCV Treatment
Response to HCV Treatment: Prognostic Factors
Liver Biopsy
Treatment Strategies
Side Effects and Strategies for Managing Them
The Week 12 Early-Stopping Rule
Treating HCV: Long-Term Benefits
Treatment of Acute HCV
Expanding Access to Treatment
Barriers and Key Issues
Conclusion
Resources
References

Treatment of Acute HCV

Treating HCV during acute infection has a major impact on treatment outcome. The biggest barrier to treatment of acute HCV is that it is rarely diagnosed; therefore, screening for acute HCV, when suspected, is crucial. In HCV monoinfection, HCV treatment during acute or early infection has been associated with high rates of SVR—80 to 98 percent—in nonrandomized, uncontrolled trials.15,138 Treating acute HCV may be a promising approach in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients as well; an open-label, uncontrolled study reported that 16 of 27 HIV-positive men (59 percent) treated during acute or early HCV infection achieved SVR after 24 weeks of treatment with pegylated interferon and weight-based ribavirin.139 The optimal regimen, duration, and time to initiate treatment are not clear, and problems with toxicity and limited efficacy have been reported.140-143

 
 
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