Clinical, virologic, histologic, and biochemical outcomes after successful HCV therapy: a 5-year follow-up of 150 patients

Hepatology. 2009 Mar;49(3):729-38. doi: 10.1002/hep.22694.

Abstract

One hundred fifty patients with sustained virologic response (SVR) after treatment of chronic hepatitis C were enrolled in a long-term clinical follow-up study; patients were followed for 5 years for liver-related outcomes and evidence of biochemical or virologic relapse. Patients with stage 2 or greater fibrosis on pretreatment biopsy were invited to undergo a long-term follow-up biopsy after their fourth year of follow-up. One hundred twenty-eight patients (85%) were followed through their fourth year, and long-term follow-up biopsies were obtained from 60 patients (40%). Forty-nine patients had paired pretreatment and long-term follow-up biopsies blindly rescored. Forty of these patients (82%) had a decrease in fibrosis score, and 45 (92%) had a decrease in combined inflammation score. Ten patients (20%) had normal or nearly normal livers on long-term follow-up biopsy. Two patients with pretreatment cirrhosis developed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and one died. All the other patients with pretreatment cirrhosis or advanced fibrosis had improved fibrosis scores on long-term follow-up biopsy. No patient had conclusive evidence of virologic relapse. Three patients had persistently elevated alanine aminotransferase levels; two of these had new liver disease.

Conclusion: In a cohort of 150 patients with SVR followed for 5 years, the majority of patients had good outcomes. Serum virologic relapse was not seen, but two patients with pretreatment cirrhosis developed HCC, and one died. In a blind rescoring of 49 paired pretreatment and long-term follow-up biopsies, 82% improved fibrosis scores and 92% improved at least one component of inflammation. A minority of patients had normal or nearly normal liver tissue on long-term follow-up biopsy. Patients with cirrhosis pretreatment are at a low but real risk of HCC after SVR.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Alanine Transaminase / blood
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases / blood
  • Biopsy
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Genotype
  • Hepacivirus / drug effects
  • Hepacivirus / genetics
  • Hepacivirus / physiology
  • Hepatitis C / blood*
  • Hepatitis C / drug therapy*
  • Hepatitis C / pathology
  • Humans
  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use*
  • Liver / pathology*
  • Liver / virology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Ribavirin / therapeutic use*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Ribavirin
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases
  • Alanine Transaminase
  • peginterferon alfa-2b