Abstract
Background: The epidemiology, natural history and response to therapy of chronic hepatitis C differs significantly between African Americans and other ethnic populations. The reasons for these differences are not entirely clear but include mode of transmission, viral kinetics, immune responsiveness, and demographics. Objective: Review of the peer-reviewed literature and expert opinion from 1990 to 2005 regarding features of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in African Americans, differences in presentation and response to therapy, and treatment recommendations. Results: The epidemiology of HCV infection in African Americans appears to be predominantly associated with socio-economic status and high-risk behaviors. However, disease course, response to treatment, and virologic outcome may be a function of race. African Americans may clear HCV less efficiently than other ethnic groups, although impaired immune responsivity may also lead to decreased necro-inflammatory activity and progression to cirrhosis. Therapy-naive African Americans have lower sustained virologic response rates to this treatment than other populations. Conclusions: Strategies to improve outcomes in African Americans include higher doses of current medications, medications with fewer adverse events, and new experimental molecular therapies.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 313-322 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Liver International |
Volume | 27 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 2007 |
Keywords
- Adverse effects
- African American
- Epidemiology
- Hepatitis
- Interferon
- Treatment
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Hepatology