title: Effect of prolonged interferon therapy on the outcome of hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis: a randomized trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The impact of interferon (IFN) treatment on the occurrence of complications related to hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis is debated because the majority of studies are retrospective. We designed a randomized controlled trial comparing the efficacy of prolonged IFN alfa-2a treatment vs nontreatment on complication-free survival in patients with compensated HCV cirrhosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 102 patients (mean age, 60.5 +/- 9.5 y; male/female ratio, .82) with biopsy examination-proven HCV cirrhosis, Child-Pugh score A, who were hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) free, and had at least 1 risk factor of complications were randomized to receive IFN or no therapy for 24 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the follow-up evaluation, the complication rate was 24.5%: HCC occurred in 12 and decompensation unrelated to HCC occurred in 13 patients. The number of HCC patients was similar in both groups. The probability of complication-free survival was not significantly different between treated and untreated patients (98% and 72.3% vs 90% and 70.7% at 12 and 24 mo, respectively, P = .59). The median time until complication occurrence was 17.1 months in the treated group vs 13.6 months in the untreated group (P = .2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This randomized controlled trial showed that a 2-year course of IFN has little or no impact on complication-free survival in patients with high-risk compensated HCV cirrhosis.
authors.affiliation: AP-HP, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Laetitia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fartoux
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Degos
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trépo
authors.forename: Odile
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Goria
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Calès
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buffet
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Poynard
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Capron
authors.forename: Jean-Jacques
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Raabe
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roulot
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naveau
authors.forename: Jean-Didier
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Grange
authors.forename: Renée E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Poupon
authors.forename: Raoul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Poupon
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Serfaty
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins