Chronic hepatitis C: retreatment of relapsers. An evidence-based approach.

Post-treatment relapse remains a major issue in the long-term management of chronic hepatitis C. Many studies have been conducted to identify the ideal therapy that would increase the cost-effectiveness of retreatment in the individual patient. Although the conclusions of two consensus conferences for the retreatment of relapse of chronic hepatitis C have been published recently, several important issues still remain unanswered. We reviewed the available data by an evidence-based approach and conclude the following: (1) patients should be retreated with a combination of interferon (IFN) and ribavirin for 6 months if there are no contraindications to ribavirin; (2) the excellent tolerability and the lesser expense of retreatment with IFN monotherapy makes it a low-cost option for patients who have transiently cleared HCV-RNA during the first IFN course, and a primary indication for those who are contraindications to ribavirin or are likely to experience adverse events under ribavirin; (3) relapsers retreated with monotherapy must receive a high dose of IFN; and (4) patients with cirrhosis should not be retreated with IFN alone. More data, particularly on the long-term course of patients retreated with combination therapy, are needed before setting guidelines for retreatment of relapsers.