Premium
A 5‐year prospective study of the late resolution of chronic hepatitis C after antiviral therapy
Author(s) -
ANNICCHIARICO B. E.,
SICILIANO M.,
AVOLIO A. W.,
GRILLO R. L.,
BOMBARDIERI G.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
alimentary pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.308
H-Index - 177
eISSN - 1365-2036
pISSN - 0269-2813
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2007.03295.x
Subject(s) - medicine , ribavirin , clearance , hepatitis c virus , genotype , hepatitis c , pegylated interferon , viral load , interferon , immunology , hepacivirus , gastroenterology , antiviral therapy , virology , virus , chronic hepatitis , biology , gene , biochemistry , urology
Summary Background Persistence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in serum is assured after any course of antiviral therapy that failed to obtain a sustained virological response. Aim To evaluate the long‐term effect on serum HCV‐RNA of a course of pegylated‐interferon and ribavirin therapy that was unable to obtain sustained response. Methods Serum HCV‐RNA was determined at monthly intervals in 68 non‐responders, breakthroughs or relapsers and in 52 naïve controls enrolled in a five‐year study. Results Five genotype 2 or 3 patients (one non‐responder, three breakthroughs, one relapser) cleared HCV‐RNA after the end of therapy or relapse, and remained negative until the end of follow‐up. HCV‐RNA clearance rate in genotype 2 and 3 non‐responders, breakthroughs or relapsers was higher than in controls with the same genotypes (22.7% vs. 0%; log‐rank 9.62; P < 0.002). HCV‐RNA at the end of treatment or at relapse was <10 5 IU/mL in the five subjects who cleared the virus and <10 4 IU/mL in four of them. None of genotype 1 or 4 subjects cleared HCV‐RNA during follow‐up. Conclusions Late resolution of HCV infection is possible in genotype 2 or 3 patients with low viral load at the end of therapy or at relapse. In these subjects, HCV‐RNA monitoring is advisable during the first year after therapy.