title: [Long-term prognosis of the interferon-treated patients with chronic hepatitis C: compared with the natural course].
abstract: To evaluate the prognosis of the interferon (IFN)-treated patients with chronic hepatitis C (CH (C)), the clinical course and outcome of patients with CH (C) who were administered IFN more than 5 years before was compared with the natural course of untreated patients with CH (C) who were followed-up for 5 years. Good responders to IFN therapy showed normalized serum ALT level thereafter except one patient who were positive for serum HCV-RNA and had relapse of hepatitis. Histological improvements were observed in good responders. In groups of poor responders and non-responders, the fluctuation of serum ALT and histological changes after IFN therapy seemed to be similar to the natural course. Several problems on the prognosis are discussed.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Okayama University Medical School.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimomura
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuji
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D007372:Interferons