Abbreviations ALT – alanine aminotransferase AST – aspartate aminotransferase BMI – body mass index CHC – chronic hepatitis C EBR – early biochemical response EHR – early histological response EIA – enzyme immunoassay EVR – early virological response HAI – hepatitis activity index HCV – hepatitis C virus HCV RNA - hepatitis C virus ribonucleic acid Helicobacter spp. – Helicobacter species H. pylory – Helicobacter pylori IFN – interferon α-2b PCR – polymerase chain reaction PEG IFN – peginterferon RBV – ribavirin SVR – sustained virological response SBR – Sustained biochemical response INTRODUCTION Chronic hepatitis due to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a worldwide disease representing a serious public health problem. Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection affects nearly 170-200 million people worldwide. The prevalence of anti-HCV at this time in the general adult population of Lithuania is nearly 50 thousand (0.9%). Without effective treatment strategies, hepatitis C - related morbidity and mortality is expected to increase nearly 3-fold by the year 2015. Current hepatitis C therapies are aimed at achieving eradication of HCV infection as a means of delaying progression to end-stage liver disease and preventing the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. The treatment options include interferon (IFN), ribavirin (RBV) and peg interferon’s a-2a and a-2b (PEG IFN). IFN-based regiments for the treatment of CHC have become increasingly effective and are to eradicate virus... [to full text]