Acetyl-L-Carnitine Supplementation During HCV Therapy With Peg IFN-α2b Plus Ribavirin: Effect on Work Performance.

Inclusion Criteria: * Eligible patients are workers who are 18 years of age or older, infected by HCV with a quantifiable serum HCV RNA level (as determined by polimerase chain reaction, COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan - ROCHE). HCV infected populations must have elevated serum alanine transaminase levels and findings on liver biopsy consistent with chronic infection. Cirrhotic patients have to have a Child-Pugh score less than 7 to be eligible. Exclusion Criteria: * Ineligible patients are those who had other liver diseases, as well as those who are affected by cancer, severe jaundice, pulmonary and renal chronic diseases, prostatic diseases, autoimmune diseases and diabetes mellitus. Excessive use of alcohol (\>20 g/die) or hepato-toxic drugs. Other causes of exclusion include decompensated cirrhosis, pregnancy, and contraindications for Peg-IFN-a or RBV therapy such as cardiopathy, hemoglobinopathies, hemocromatosis, major depression or other severe psychiatric pathological conditions.