title: Effect of sustained virological response on long-term clinical outcome in 113 patients with compensated hepatitis C-related cirrhosis treated by interferon alpha and ribavirin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the long-term clinical benefit of sustained virological response (SVR) in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) cirrhosis treated by antiviral therapy using mostly ribavirin plus interferon either standard or pegylated.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and thirteen patients with uncomplicated HCV biopsy-proven cirrhosis, treated by at least one course of antiviral treatment > or = 3 mo and followed > or = 30 mo were included. The occurrence of linical events [hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), decompensation and death] was compared in SVR and non SVR patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy eight patients received bitherapy and 63 had repeat treatments. SVR was achieved in 37 patients (33%). During a mean follow-up of 7.7 years, clinical events occurred more frequently in non SVR than in SVR patients, with a significant difference for HCC (24/76 vs 1/37, P = 0.01). No SVR patient died while 20/76 non-SVR did (P = 0.002), mainly in relation to HCC (45%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with HCV-related cirrhosis, SVR is associated with a significant decrease in the incidence of HCC and mortality during a follow-up period of 7.7 years. This result is a strong argument to perform and repeat antiviral treatments in patients with compensated cirrhosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Hopital Jean Verdier, Bondy 93140, France.
authors.forename: Roland El
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Braks
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ganne-Carrie
authors.forename: Helene
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fontaine
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Paries
authors.forename: Veronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Grando-Lemaire
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beaugrand
authors.forename: Stanislas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pol
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Trinchet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a