title: Does interferon improve portal hypertension?
abstract: Chronic hepatitis C is the leading cause of advanced liver disease in the Western world. Most patients with liver cirrhosis develop portal hypertension (PHT) (i.e. an abnormal gradient between portal and inferior vena cava pressures), responsible for the most frequent and severe complications of liver disease and, as a consequence, the main cause of death and liver transplantation in those patients. The existence of a potential beneficial effect of antiviral therapy (AVT) on liver inflammation and fibrosis, partially independent of the degree of virological response, has been recently reported. However, the possible influence of these histological changes on PHT has not been evaluated. In this article, we summarize the available findings regarding the effect of AVT on PHT in patients with advanced chronic hepatitis C, as well as its possible implications for clinical practice and future avenues of investigation.
authors.affiliation: Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón Dr Esquerdo 46, 28007, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rincón
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ripoll
authors.forename: María Vega
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Catalina
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salcedo
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bañares
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007372:Interferons / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007372:Interferons