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Treatment benefits patients with thalassaemia and HCV

Date:
June 29, 2017
Source:
Wiley
Summary:
Many individuals with the blood disorder thalassaemia also carry the hepatitis C virus (HCV) due to contaminated transfusions before 1990. Due to the co-existence of iron overload (from repeated blood transfusions), these patients are at increased risk of developing liver cancer. A new study indicates that treatment with a combination of sofosbuvir and ledipasvir as a once a day single pill leads to a sustained virological response in 98% of patients with thalassaemia and HCV.
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Many individuals with the blood disorder thalassaemia also carry the hepatitis C virus (HCV) due to contaminated transfusions before 1990. Due to the co-existence of iron overload (from repeated blood transfusions), these patients are at increased risk of developing liver cancer.

A new study indicates that treatment with a combination of sofosbuvir and ledipasvir as a once a day single pill leads to a sustained virological response in 98% of patients with thalassaemia and HCV.

"The findings are significant because, unlike other antiviral drugs, this simple treatment is expected not to be limited by drug-to-drug interactions with other medications usually taken by thalassaemia patients," said Dr. Alessandra Mangia, lead author of the Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics study.


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Journal Reference:

  1. A. Mangia, R. Sarli, R. Gamberini, A. Piga, G. Cenderello, V. Piazzolla, R. Santoro, V. Caruso, A. Quarta, R. Ganga, M. Copetti, G. Forni. Randomised clinical trial: sofosbuvir and ledipasvir in patients with transfusion-dependent thalassaemia and HCV genotype 1 or 4 infection. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2017; DOI: 10.1111/apt.14197

Cite This Page:

Wiley. "Treatment benefits patients with thalassaemia and HCV." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 29 June 2017. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/06/170629085510.htm>.
Wiley. (2017, June 29). Treatment benefits patients with thalassaemia and HCV. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 13, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/06/170629085510.htm
Wiley. "Treatment benefits patients with thalassaemia and HCV." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/06/170629085510.htm (accessed December 13, 2024).

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