
A Clinical Research Study Designed To Determine If Treatment of Hepatitis C With Milk Thistle is...
HIV InfectionsHepatitis CThere is some information available that indicates that Milk Thistle is an effective treatment for liver disease. This study will compare Milk Thistle with a placebo, (a medicine that looks just like Milk Thistle but does not contain any Milk Thistle) to see if people with both Hepatitis C and HIV infections show improvement or cure of Hepatitis C. The study will last one year.

Dose Escalation Study to Evaluate the Safety and Antiviral Activity of Val-mCyd in Adults With Chronic...
Chronic Hepatitis CThis study was conducted to determine the safety, tolerance, pharmacokinetics and antiviral activity of val-mCyd at doses ranging from 50 mg to 800 mg per day.

Health Behavior Feedback Study for Veterans With Hepatitis C
AlcoholismAlcohol Abuse2 moreThe purpose of this study was to explore whether a brief (3 session) intervention would impact health behavior of veterans with hepatitis C. The main focus of the intervention was on reduction of heavy drinking with patients who have liver disease. Other study goals were to increase the likelihood that patients would seek out substance use treatment and/or hepatitis C health care services. The study also tested the use of a liver function test called CDT/GGT in detecting heavy drinking. The main hypothesis was that a 3 session intervention with personalized feedback about health behavior would result in a reduction in alcohol use and increased use of substance use treatment and hepatology health care.

Treatment With Peginterferon Alfa-2a (40 KD) of Chronic Hepatitis B Patients, Who Have Failed Anti-viral...
Chronic Hepatitis BThis study is to investigate the HBV DNA suppression (and HBeAg seroconversion among HBeAg positive patients) pegylated interferon treatment at 24 weeks after end of treatment among patients who have failed anti-viral treatment in the past.

Interferon Treatment for Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C and End Stage Renal Disease
Chronic Hepatitis CEnd Stage Renal DiseaseThe treatment response with conventional interferon alpha alone in patients with end stage renal disease and chronic hepatitis C is about 33-39%. However, the drop-out rate is 17-29.6%. Pegylated interferon alpha, a newly developed form of interferon with superior pharmacokinetic profiles, has not been used to treatment these patients. We expect the better treatment response treated with peginterferon alpha than conventional interferon. In addition, we also observe the safety of the two drugs during the study. The goal of the study is to compare the efficacy and safety of the two different treatment regimens in patients with chronic hepatitis C and end stage renal disease.

PEG-Interferon a-2b + Ribavirin for Treatment of Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C Who Have Previously...
Chronic Hepatitis C Virus InfectionHRN-003 STUDY SYNOPSIS OBJECTIVE: To compare the Sustained Virologic Response (SVR) of PEGIntron plus ribavirin among patients receiving a fixed dose of PEGIntron versus weighted-adjusted dosing. OVERVIEW OF STUDY DESIGN: This is a multi-center, randomized, open-label clinical trial using PEGIntron weight-adjusted dose by subcutaneous injection weekly + ribavirin by mouth twice daily for 48 weeks OR PEGIntron fixed dose by subcutaneous injection weekly + ribavirin by mouth twice daily for 48 weeks. STUDY POPULATION: 600 Adult patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection who have previously failed to achieve a sustained virologic response following interferon alfa or interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin therapy. DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION: Eligible participants will be randomized to receive PEGIntron weight-adjusted dose (1.5 mg/kg) by subcutaneous injection weekly + ribavirin 400 mg by mouth twice daily for 48 weeks OR PEGIntron fixed dose (150 mg if weight > than 80 kg or 100 mg if weight < 80 KG) by subcutaneous injection weekly + ribavirin 400 mg by mouth twice daily for 48 weeks. EFFICACY EVALUATIONS: Laboratory analysis, quality of life assessments, and change in study medication doses will be obtained. SAFETY EVALUATIONS: Assessment of laboratory evaluations, vital signs, incidence and severity of adverse experiences and progression of disease, as measured by HCV viral load. STUDY DESIGN This is a treatment protocol to evaluate the antiviral efficacy, safety and tolerability polyethylene glycol (PEG) conjugated interferon alfa-2b (PEGIntron) for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection in patients who have previously failed to achieve a sustained virologic response following interferon alfa or interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin therapy. Patients will be stratified according to their response to the previous course of therapy (i.e. non-reponse or relapse virologic pattern This is a multi-center, randomized, open-label clinical trial that will involve approximately 25 sites with an anticipated enrollment of 600 patients over a six-month period. Eligible participants will be randomized to receive PEGIntron weight-adjusted dose (1.5 mg/kg) by subcutaneous injection weekly + ribavirin 400 mg by mouth twice daily for 48 weeks OR PEGIntron fixed dose (150 mg if weight > than 80 kg or 100 mg if weight < 80 KG) by subcutaneous injection weekly + ribavirin 400 mg by mouth twice daily for 48 weeks. Group A: PEGIntron weight -adjusted dose (1.5 mg/kg) by subcutaneous injection weekly + ribavirin 400 mg by mouth twice daily for 48 weeks (Total therapy x 48weeks). Group B: PEGIntron fixed dose (150 mg if weight > than 80 kg or 100 mg if weight < 80 KG) by subcutaneous injection weekly + ribavirin 400 mg by mouth twice daily for an additional 48 weeks (Total therapy x 48 weeks).

Hepatitis C Treatment Naive Genotype 1 Consensus Interferon Trial
Chronic Hepatitis CData have suggested that consensus interferon (CIFN) has greater antiviral activity in vitro compared with interferon alfa-2a or alfa-2b. Several clinical studies also suggest that CIFN has greater antiviral activity in patients with genotype 1 hepatitis C infection, particularly if given as a daily injection. These data indicate that the use of a regimen of daily CIFN and ribavirin will lead to greater virologic response rates compared with pegylated interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin in patients with genotype 1 infection, with comparable adverse events. Emerging data indicate that HCV genotype 1 patients with a delayed virologic response to initial therapy may benefit from an extended duration of therapy. Therefore, the goals of this pilot study are to determine the tolerability and efficacy of daily CIFN plus ribavirin when given for 52 weeks or an extended duration of therapy. The target population will consist of "difficult-to-treat" patients, defined as having the following characteristics: genotype 1, a North American patient population, predominantly male gender, and no specific exclusions for pre-existing psychiatric or substance abuse co-morbidities.

Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C With PEG Interferon alfa2a and Ribavirin in HIV-Infected Patients...
HIV InfectionsHepatitis C2 moreCombination of PEG interferon and ribavirin is the standard treatment of chronic hepatitis C. Efficacy of this treatment has never been evaluated in HCV-HIV infected patients, who have previously been treated with a first line anti-HCV treatment. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the combination PEG interferon alfa2a-ribavirin in HIV-infected patients with chronic hepatitis C pretreated with interferon alone or interferon combined with ribavirin. The patients receive a dose of 180 µg of PEGASYS once a week and 800 to 1200 mg/day of ribavirin (according to weight) for 48 weeks. Primary outcome of the study is a sustained virological response, defined as an undetectable HCV RNA level 24 weeks after the end of anti-HCV treatment.

Efficacy of Pegylated Interferon Alone in Egyptian Patients With Acute Hepatitis C (ANRS 1213)
Hepatitis CAcute hepatitis C is a liver disease related to a virus: hepatitis C virus (HCV). The type of Hepatitis C Virus present in Egypt (genotype 4), has the reputation to respond poorly to treatment at the chronic hepatitis stage. Without treatment, 85% of patients with acute hepatitis C become chronically HCV infected which means that the virus stays present in the body. Pegylated Interferon is a new form of Interferon that stays in the body for longer time and allows the patient to take less injection per week. It has also proved to be more effective than standard Interferon in treatment of chronic hepatitis C.

Treatment of Cholestatic Pruritus With Sertraline
PruritusLiver Cirrhosis2 moreThe goal of this study is to find an effective and well-tolerated medical therapy for itching due to liver disease. Persons with primary biliary cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis C are currently being enrolled in the study. Persons participating in the study are given sertraline, a medication which is also often used for depression,to treat their itching. The dose is gradually increased as the effect on itching and any other potential side effects are carefully monitored.