Hepatitis & Liver Diseases Treatment

Liver Disease Treatment at the CLDT

The CLDT's experts in the fields of hepatology, liver surgery, and transplantation offer extensive experience treating all forms and stages of liver disease. We can assess and treat your current disease with standard medical therapy, investigational protocols, surgical therapy, or transplantation.

For your evaluation, you will meet with a specially-trained gastroenterologist or hepatologist, who will determine the extent of liver damage and perform blood tests, including a test to see if a hepatitis virus is active in the blood stream. Frequently, a liver biopsy is also performed to determine how much damage the liver has sustained. This knowledge assists your physician in determining the best course of treatment for you, and how aggressive the treatment regimen should be.

The CLDT continually pursues clinical trials studying various treatment regimens for viral hepatitis and immunosuppressive therapy for liver transplantation. Currently, more than 25 clinical trials are underway involving antiviral treatment for Hepatitis C and Hepatitis B, including Phase II through IV industry-sponsored trials. The Center has also participated in trials of artificial liver support devices for acute and chronic liver failure and studies of novel immunosuppressive and antiviral medications following liver transplantation.

Our patients are invited to participate in trials of new treatments where appropriate, but participation is entirely voluntary.

Hepatitis B and C are treated differently because they are caused by different viruses.

Hepatitis B Treatment Options

Treatment for the hepatitis B virus (HBV) includes antiviral or immunomodulatory therapy with nucleosides, nucleotides, and interferon-alpha. Currently approved therapies include standard interferon, lamivudine, adefovir, and entecavir. Pegylated interferon is being evaluated at the Center as a treatment option.

Hepatitis C Treatment Options

Interferon has long been the standard treatment strategy for hepatitis C virus (HCV), however very few patients are still treated with interferon alone. Interferon, of which three types are currently available, has many side effects. These can include lower blood count of both white blood cells and platelets, altered thyroid function, flu-like symptoms, depression, and fatigue. As a result, the therapy is difficult for some patients, and not recommended for others.

Since 1998, Ribivirin^® has been used in combination with interferon to combat HCV. When combined with interferon, Ribivirin's success rate in eliminating HCV is about 40%. It does have side effects including hemolysis (breaking down of red blood cells), which can make the medication unsuitable for patients with anemia, heart disease, or renal problems.

A form of interferon called "pegylated" can be taken once each week, with fewer side effects than regular interferon. Pegylated interferon is currently FDA approved to treat hepatitis C on its own , but clinical trials combining combination it with Ribivirin show promise in future management of HCV. New drugs similar to HIV drugs are being found more effective. The Center is taking part in many of the studies of these new drugs, and our patients have the opportunity to participate in these phase two and three trials.

Regardless of your prior medical problems, it is important that you seek medical advice to help decide which treatment regimen is best for you.