Individualized treatment of chronic hepatitis C in patients receiving opioid substitution therapy

Background: Patients with chronic hepatitis C receiving opioid substitution therapy (OST) represent a very heterogeneous group: Patients with good compliance can be treated at hepatologic centers. A second group, however, characterized by borderline compliance and high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity, is reluctant to go to specialized hepatologic centers. Patients and Methods: To optimize access to antiviral therapy and treatment outcome in patients on stable OST we established a cooperation between a hepatologic center (Wilhelminenspital) and a low-threshold drug treatment facility (Ambulatorium Suchthilf…