BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study aimed to determine the long-term outcome of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients who respond to interferon treatment with clearance of serum HCV RNA. METHODS: We performed a long-term biochemical, virological, and histological follow-up of all sustained virological responders, defined as those who became HCV RNA negative at follow-up 6 months after the end of treatment, from 3 controlled interferon trials performed in Sweden between 1988 and 1994. RESULTS: At biochemical and virological long-term follow-up performed in 26 sustained virological responders 3.5-8.8 years (mean +/- SD, 5.4+/-1.6 years) after the end of IFN therapy, 22 patients (85%) had normal serum ALT levels, and 24 patients (92%) were HCV RNA negative in serum. Liver biopsies performed in 23 patients 2.1-8.7 years (mean +/- SD, 5.0+/-1.8 years) after end of treatment showed no or minimal inflammation, whereas mild and probably irreversible fibrosis was seen in a few patients. CONCLUSION: In this well-defined material of sustained responders to IFN therapy, the long-term prognosis was excellent. Nearly all had a durable response, not only biochemically and virologically, but more importantly also histologically with normalisation or near normalisation of previous histological lesions.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study aimed to determine the long-term outcome of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infectedpatients who respond to interferon treatment with clearance of serum HCV RNA. METHODS: We performed a long-term biochemical, virological, and histological follow-up of all sustained virological responders, defined as those who became HCV RNA negative at follow-up 6 months after the end of treatment, from 3 controlled interferon trials performed in Sweden between 1988 and 1994. RESULTS: At biochemical and virological long-term follow-up performed in 26 sustained virological responders 3.5-8.8 years (mean +/- SD, 5.4+/-1.6 years) after the end of IFN therapy, 22 patients (85%) had normal serum ALT levels, and 24 patients (92%) were HCV RNA negative in serum. Liver biopsies performed in 23 patients 2.1-8.7 years (mean +/- SD, 5.0+/-1.8 years) after end of treatment showed no or minimal inflammation, whereas mild and probably irreversible fibrosis was seen in a few patients. CONCLUSION: In this well-defined material of sustained responders to IFN therapy, the long-term prognosis was excellent. Nearly all had a durable response, not only biochemically and virologically, but more importantly also histologically with normalisation or near normalisation of previous histological lesions.
Authors: Sarah L George; Bruce R Bacon; Elizabeth M Brunt; Kusal L Mihindukulasuriya; Joyce Hoffmann; Adrian M Di Bisceglie Journal: Hepatology Date: 2009-03 Impact factor: 17.425
Authors: Chihiro Morishima; Timothy R Morgan; James E Everhart; Elizabeth C Wright; Minjun C Apodaca; David R Gretch; Mitchell L Shiffman; Gregory T Everson; Karen L Lindsay; William M Lee; Anna S F Lok; Jules L Dienstag; Marc G Ghany; Teresa M Curto Journal: Hepatology Date: 2008-11 Impact factor: 17.425
Authors: Filomena Morisco; Rocco Granata; Tommaso Stroffolini; Maria Guarino; Laura Donnarumma; Laura Gaeta; Ilaria Loperto; Ivan Gentile; Francesco Auriemma; Nicola Caporaso Journal: World J Gastroenterol Date: 2013-05-14 Impact factor: 5.742