BMJ 1994;308:1710 (25 June)

Letters

Hepatitis C virus infection

EDITOR, - Carol A Seymour's editorial1 and the papers on hepatitis C in the same issue illustrate the problems of defining chronic hepatitis C and of identifying patients who would benefit from regular follow up in a gastroenterology clinic. We and colleagues have found that only liver biopsy reliably identifies patients with chronic infection. Kate E Ryan and colleagues rightly question the effectiveness of counselling when so little is known of the natural course of this infection.2

Liver biopsy is not a minor procedure, and scarce and expensive medical resources should be used only when the patient will benefit. The patient must be given an accurate prognosis and treatment with interferon alfa and other antivirals should be offered when appropriate, although the long term effects of such intervention on the prognosis of liver disease associated with hepatitis C are unknown.

Much of this information is not new. It has been . . . [Full text of this article]


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to StumbleUpon StumbleUpon   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Article

Asymptomatic infection with hepatitis C virus
C A Seymour
BMJ 1994 308: 670-671. [Extract] [Full Text]

This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Bailey, D. E. Jr., Landerman, L., Barroso, J., Bixby, P., Mishel, M. H., Muir, A. J., Strickland, L., Clipp, E. (2009). Uncertainty, Symptoms, and Quality of Life in Persons With Chronic Hepatitis C. Psychosomatics 50: 138-146 [Abstract] [Full text]  
  • Geppert, C. M.A., Dettmer, E., Jakiche, A. (2005). Ethical Challenges in the Care of Persons With Hepatitis C Infection: A Pilot Study to Enhance Informed Consent With Veterans. Psychosomatics 46: 392-401 [Abstract] [Full text]  
Access jobs at BMJ Careers
Whats new online at Student BMJ