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Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C with Amantadine

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Abstract

Treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection withinterferon has been disappointing, with less than onethird of patients achieving a sustained response andmost experiencing significant side effects. For these reasons, an open-labeled prospectivepilot study was conducted to test the safety andefficacy of the antiviral drug, amantadine, in patientswith chronic hepatitis C infection who had previously failed therapy withinterferon-αb. Twenty-two patients withchronic hepatitis C were enrolled into the study andtreated with amantadine 100 mg orally twice daily forsix months. Control groups included the same cohort followed off therapy for 29-36months or during therapy with interferon. Serum alanineaminotransferase (ALT) values decreased in 64% (P =0.01) of patients with amantadine therapy compared to intervals without therapy or to interferontherapy. Twenty-seven percent of patients treated withamantadine had normalization of ALT values and loss ofHCV RNA after six months while 18% achieved a sustained response with loss of HCV RNA by PCRsix months after discontinuation of amantadine. Therapywith amantadine improved both biochemical andvirological markers in patients with hepatitis C who had previously not responded to treatment withinterferon.

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  1. Jill Palmer Smith
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Smith, J.P. Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C with Amantadine. Dig Dis Sci 42, 1681–1687 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018857314351

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