E G Giannini1, M Basso, V Savarino, A Picciotto. 1. Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy. egiannini@unige.it
Abstract
BACKGROUND: There are few data in the literature regarding the long-term virological follow-up of chronic hepatitis C patients who obtain sustained virological response (SVR) to pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin therapy. AIM: To assess the durability of SVR to PEG-IFN and ribavirin therapy during long-term follow-up of chronic hepatitis C patients. METHODS: We evaluated a cohort of 231 chronic hepatitis C patients who had at least 48 weeks of follow-up after SVR to PEG-IFN and ribavirin treatment. Median duration of follow-up after SVR was 164 weeks, and exceeded 5 years in 30% of the cohort. Patients underwent consistent clinical, biochemical and virological evaluations every 6 months during follow-up. RESULTS: Sustained virological response was maintained in 211 patients (91%) while HCV-RNA became positive in two patients (<1%) within 1 year after SVR, and in 18 patients (8%) serum HCV-RNA was transiently positive in at least one follow-up evaluation. Clinical outcome was not significantly different between patients with persistently negative and transiently positive serum HCV-RNA. CONCLUSIONS: Sustained virological response to PEG-IFN and ribavirin is maintained in 99% of patients during long-term follow-up. Late virological relapse occurred within 1 year after SVR and, from a clinical perspective, patients can be considered cured of infection after this period.
BACKGROUND: There are few data in the literature regarding the long-term virological follow-up of chronic hepatitis C patients who obtain sustained virological response (SVR) to pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin therapy. AIM: To assess the durability of SVR to PEG-IFN and ribavirin therapy during long-term follow-up of chronic hepatitis C patients. METHODS: We evaluated a cohort of 231 chronic hepatitis C patients who had at least 48 weeks of follow-up after SVR to PEG-IFN and ribavirin treatment. Median duration of follow-up after SVR was 164 weeks, and exceeded 5 years in 30% of the cohort. Patients underwent consistent clinical, biochemical and virological evaluations every 6 months during follow-up. RESULTS: Sustained virological response was maintained in 211 patients (91%) while HCV-RNA became positive in two patients (<1%) within 1 year after SVR, and in 18 patients (8%) serum HCV-RNA was transiently positive in at least one follow-up evaluation. Clinical outcome was not significantly different between patients with persistently negative and transiently positive serum HCV-RNA. CONCLUSIONS: Sustained virological response to PEG-IFN and ribavirin is maintained in 99% of patients during long-term follow-up. Late virological relapse occurred within 1 year after SVR and, from a clinical perspective, patients can be considered cured of infection after this period.
Authors: Koji Hara; Maria M Rivera; Christopher Koh; Mary Demino; Sandra Page; Pothu Raju Nagabhyru; Barbara Rehermann; T Jake Liang; Jay H Hoofnagle; Theo Heller Journal: J Infect Dis Date: 2013-10-14 Impact factor: 5.226
Authors: C Koh; T Heller; V Haynes-Williams; K Hara; X Zhao; J J Feld; D E Kleiner; Y Rotman; M G Ghany; T J Liang; J H Hoofnagle Journal: Aliment Pharmacol Ther Date: 2013-03-06 Impact factor: 8.171
Authors: Sang Bun Choi; Youn Jae Lee; Jae Ik Lee; Young Jin Song; Byoung Jin Choi; Jong Han Kim; Eun Uk Jung; Sung Jae Park; Sang Heon Lee; Ji Hyun Kim; Jung Sik Choi; Sam Ryong Jee; Sang Yong Seol Journal: Korean J Hepatol Date: 2011-09