Abstract

ARREDONDO BRUCE, Alfredo; AMORES CARRATE, Jacqueline  and  GUERRERO JIMENEZ, Gustavo. Treatment of the hepatitis B: new drugs and opportunities. AMC [online]. 2009, vol.13, n.5. ISSN 1025-0255.

Therapeutic options for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection have significantly improved in recent years. Although recombinant interferon alfa has been used for chronic hepatitis B for almost 2 decades, several drugs directly inhibiting HBV replication have been introduced since the late 1990s. Treatment guidelines for different cohorts of patients, such as hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive and -negative patients, patients with liver cirrhosis, and HBV-infected individuals post liver transplantation, have been developed. However, we face the growing challenge of treatment decisions becoming more complex. In this context, the following questions come to the fore: What is the best drug for which patient? When should we start therapy? Should we use combination therapy, and if so, which agents should be combined? How long should we treat patients with chronic hepatitis B? Are there predictors of response that could help us in clinical practice? This report briefly reviews some of the studies that may help address some of these questions.

Keywords : Interferon; HBV replication; treatment decisions.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )