IMPACT OF LONG TERM RIBAVIRIN MONOTHERAPY ON LIVER FUNCTIONS IN PATIENTS WITH HCV RELATED LIVER CIRRHOSIS

Abstract

Hepatitis C VIrus infection is a maJor health burden affecting an estimated. 200 million people world wide. Chronic hepatitis C is one of the leading causes of cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease, thus effective therapies are required.

While alpha interferon therapy is effective in decreasing the level of hepatocellular injury and inflammation in some patients with chronic hepatitis C, it is not universally effective and its usefulness is often limited by side effects, such as fatigue, depression, bone marrow suppression, or autoi1mnine thyroid diseases. Therefore, researchers are seeking a safer and more effective treatment.

Ribavirin Cl-13-D ribofuranosyl 1-,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide) is a synthetic nucleoside analogue structurally similar to guanosine, xanthosine and pyrazofurine. Ribavirin displays antiviral activity against a wide range of DNA an.d RNA viruses, including some members of flaviviridae family to which HCV has been provisionally assigned. Ribavirin is especially attractive as it is absorbed orally and is well tolerated, its only significant side effect being a dose-related haemolysis that is generally mild, subclinical and rapidly reversible when therapy is stopped.