Virology Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Virology, including details on viruses, pathology, classification, definitions.

Sustained virological response to interferon reduces cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis C: a 1,386-patient study from Taiwan.

Huang JF, Yu ML, Lee CM, Dai CY, Hou NJ, Hsieh MY, Wang JH, Lu SN, Sheen IS, Lin SM, Chuang WL, Liaw YF

Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: The long-term benefits of interferon-based therapy on preventing cirrhosis at non-cirrhotic stage in chronic hepatitis C patients are not fully clarified. AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of interferon-based therapy regarding to cirrhosis prevention in non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis C patients. METHODS: A total of 1386 biopsy-proven, non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis C patients (892 received interferon-based therapy and 494 untreated) were enrolled. RESULTS: Fifty-six untreated and 51 treated (24 sustained virologic responders and 27 non-responders) patients developed cirrhosis during a mean follow-up period of 5.0 (1-16) and 5.1 (1-15.3) years, respectively. The annual incidences of cirrhosis in untreated and treated groups were 2.26 and 1.11% (non-responders: 1.99%, sustained responders: 0.74%), respectively. The 15-year cumulative incidence of cirrhosis was significantly lower in treated (9.9%) than untreated patients (39.8%, P = 0.0008, log-rank test). The 14.5-year cumulative incidence of cirrhosis was significantly lower in sustained responders (4.8%) compared with non-responders (21.6%, P = 0.0007) and untreated patients (36.6%, P < 0.0001). The difference was not significant between non-responders and untreated controls. Cox proportional hazards regression showed sustained virologic responders and younger age were independent negative factors for cirrhosis development. CONCLUSION: A sustained virologic response secondary to IFN-based therapy could reduce cirrhosis development in chronic hepatitis C patients.

Published 18 April 2007 in Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 25(9): 1029-37.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2005-2008 Virology Research Today. All Rights Reserved.