© 2002 by Gut
PROTAGONIST
HCV infection should be managed in specialist centres
Royal Free and University College School of Medicine, London NW3 2QG, UK; G.Dusheiko@rfc.ucl.ac.uk
Accepted 29 October 2001
Keywords: hepatitis C virus; hepatitis C virus infection; specialist centres
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may cause slowly progressive chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, advanced liver failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma.1 These varying outcomes of type C hepatitis pose a challenge and responsibility which requires firstly, that antiviral treatment is targeted as precisely as possible to those who have progressive disease, and secondly, that patients with advanced disease are managed by specialist centres with the capability of minimising the morbidity of the disease. Presently, most patients with community and hospital associated hepatitis C requiring treatment are referred to specialist liver centres.
The hepatologist has a pivotal role in the management of chronic hepatitis C. This includes the differential diagnosis, clinical management, and assessment of the stage of disease. Hepatology has become an increasingly specialised discipline and hepatologists are ideally placed to collate investigations and to ensure the appropriate management of coexisting liver disease. Specialist hepatologists also provide the continuity and follow up
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