title: Reversibility of hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis.
abstract: The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the potential reversibility of hepatitis C virus (HCV) cirrhosis with the combined antifibrotic effects of interferon-alpha and the increasing frequency of sustained virologic response. Sixty-four HCV-cirrhotic immunocompetent patients who underwent antiviral therapies (interferon-alpha with or without ribavirin) and pretreatment and posttreatment liver biopsies were included (group 1). Resolution of cirrhosis was defined as a decrease in the fibrosis score from 4 to 2 or less by the Metavir score after blinded analysis by 2 independent pathologists. An additional group of 4 HCV-infected dialysis patients (group 2) who had received antiviral treatment, among whom 3 underwent a combined renal and liver transplantation allowing the analysis of the whole liver, was also studied. In 5 (all stage Child A) of the 64 cirrhotic patients (7.8%), the final biopsy showed only F2 to portal and periportal fibrosis with rare fibrous septa without nodule formation. Four of these 5 were complete sustained responders (negative PCR and normal ALT), and 1 was a relapser. In group 2, reversibility of cirrhosis was observed in 3 of the 4 patients and was clearly shown in 2 patients by the analysis of the whole-liver examination at the time of the hepatectomy preceding the transplantation. In conclusion, long-lasting suppression of the necroinflammatory activity of liver disease and/or antifibrogenetic effects of interferon-alpha may allow regression of cirrhosis.
authors.affiliation: Unité d' Hépatologie, Hôpital Necker, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Stanislas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pol
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carnot
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nalpas
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Lagneau
authors.forename: Héléne
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fontaine
authors.forename: Jeanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Serpaggi
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Serfaty
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bedossa
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bréchot
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012254:Ribavirin; D007372:Interferons