Drugs Aging 1997 Oct;11(4):296-308
Hepatitis C virus infection in the elderly.
Epidemiology, prophylaxis and optimal treatment.
Hayashi J, Kashiwagi S
Department of General Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.
Chronic infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) occurs throughout the world
and appears to be the main cause of hepatocellular carcinoma. Studies have shown
that, in areas of high endemicity, the prevalence of HCV infection is low in
children but high in people aged > 60 years. Medical interventions were found
to play an important role in the spread of HCV infection, because elderly patients
became infected via contaminated blood transfusions or when contaminated syringes
and needles were used. Maternal and sexual transmission do not appear to be
the main routes of HCV infection. Interferon treatment eliminates HCV in 20
to 30% of patients with chronic HCV infection. The response to interferon therapy
is usually complete in 70 to 80% of people with low levels of HCV RNA, HCV of
genotype 2 and young women, but poor in elderly patients.
Because liver disease can be severe in elderly patients, more effective therapies
are clearly needed.
PMID: 9342559, MUID: 98001919
|
