Effect of an angiotensin-II type-1 receptor blocker, candesartan on hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C: a prospective study.
OBJECTIVE
Recent studies have shown that blocking of angiotensin-II signaling can attenuate liver fibrosis in various experimental models. The aim of this study was to examine the clinical effect of an angiotensin-II type-1 receptor blocker, candesartan, on the progression of hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C patients.


METHODS
Twelve chronic hepatitis C patients with hypertension enrolled as candesartan-treated patients and followed up prospectively, were compared with age- and sex-matched 20 chronic hepatitis C patients with no candesartan treatment. We evaluated alterations in hepatic fibrosis grades with these noninvasive fibrotic indexes: Forns index, the AST to platelet ratio index (APRI) and FibroIndex, every 3 months.


RESULTS
There were initially no significant differences between the candesartan-treated and control groups in clinical characteristics. Candesartan treatment induced a significant improvement in Forns Index, APRI and FibroIndex during treatment in comparison with the control group. There were no severe side effects in the candesartan group.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that candesartan in regular doses has an anti-fibrotic effect on patients with chronic hepatitis C.
Ueki
Masaru
M
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Nishimachi 36-1, Yonago 683-8504, Japan.
Koda
Masahiko
M
Shimizu
Tatsunori
T
Mitsuta
Akeri
A
Yamamoto
Tetsuo
T
Murawaki
Yoshikazu
Y
D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D013777:Tetrazoles; C081643:candesartan