title: The longitudinal quantitative assessment by transient elastography of chronic hepatitis C patients treated with pegylated interferon alpha-2b and ribavirin.
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the association between liver stiffness measured by transient elastography (FibroScan) and the efficacy of pegylated interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin combination treatment for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We prospectively studied 145 Japanese patients with chronic HCV infection. FibroScan was done at baseline, at the end of treatment, and at 48 and 96 weeks after the end of treatment. The FibroScan values were significantly decreased for sustained virological response (SVR) patients (the mean rate of change; -16.2%, -32.2% and -43.5%) in comparison with non-SVR patients (-7.2%, -2.1% and +17.3%) at the end of treatment (P=0.0127), and 48 weeks (P<0.0001) and 96 weeks (P<0.0001) after the end of treatment. Among the non-SVR patients, the FibroScan values were significantly decreased for patients with biochemical response (BR) (-17.9%, -30.0% and -27.1%) in comparison with non-BR (-4.1%, +6.4% and +30.6%) at the end of treatment (P=0.0270), and 48 weeks (P<0.0001) and 96 weeks (P<0.0001) after the end of treatment. The FibroScan values may predict a progressively better clinical outcome for patients with successful virological and biochemical responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Higashi-Ku, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Eiichi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Norihiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Furusyo
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toyoda
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takeoka
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hayashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D044466:Asian People; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b