Cirrhosis, high age and high body mass index are risk factors for persisting advanced fibrosis after sustained virological response in chronic hepatitis C.

We aimed to assess fibrosis with liver stiffness measurement long-term after sustained virological response of chronic hepatitis C and to identify risk factors associated with persisting fibrosis. In this cross-sectional study, patients with chronic hepatitis C and pretreatment advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis treated successfully at Karolinska University Hospital with an interferon-containing regimen underwent liver stiffness measurement with FibroScan. The impact of potential risk factors for persisting fibrosis was estimated. We included 269 patients with a median follow-up time of 7.7 years (range 0-20), 84 with a follow-up time of ≥10 years. Patients with pretreatment cirrhosis had a significantly higher median liver stiffness level (8.5 kPa 95% CI 7-9.1) at follow-up, than patients with advanced fibrosis (6 kPa 95% CI 5.5-6.4). A majority improved their fibrosis stage after sustained virological response, but 24% had persisting advanced fibrosis with a liver stiffness level of ≥ 9.5 kPa. Among patients with pretreatment cirrhosis, the proportion with persisting advanced fibrosis diminished with longer follow-up time, from 48% after <5 years to 21% after >10 years. The main risk factors for persisting advanced fibrosis were pretreatment cirrhosis, high age and body mass index. In conclusion, fibrosis improves substantially during long-term follow-up after sustained virological response in hepatitis C patients with pretreatment advanced liver fibrosis. Lifestyle intervention to decrease weight in obese persons and treatment before establishment of cirrhosis should therefore be recommended to avoid persistence of advanced fibrosis after virological cure.