Sustained virological response to pegylated interferon and ribavirin is maintained during long-term follow-up of chronic hepatitis C patients.
BACKGROUND
There are few data in the literature regarding the long-term virological follow-up of chronic hepatitis C patients who obtain sustained virological response (SVR) to pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin therapy.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the durability of SVR to PEG-IFN and ribavirin therapy during long-term follow-up of chronic hepatitis C patients.


METHODS
We evaluated a cohort of 231 chronic hepatitis C patients who had at least 48 weeks of follow-up after SVR to PEG-IFN and ribavirin treatment. Median duration of follow-up after SVR was 164 weeks, and exceeded 5 years in 30% of the cohort. Patients underwent consistent clinical, biochemical and virological evaluations every 6 months during follow-up.


RESULTS
Sustained virological response was maintained in 211 patients (91%) while HCV-RNA became positive in two patients (<1%) within 1 year after SVR, and in 18 patients (8%) serum HCV-RNA was transiently positive in at least one follow-up evaluation. Clinical outcome was not significantly different between patients with persistently negative and transiently positive serum HCV-RNA.


CONCLUSIONS
Sustained virological response to PEG-IFN and ribavirin is maintained in 99% of patients during long-term follow-up. Late virological relapse occurred within 1 year after SVR and, from a clinical perspective, patients can be considered cured of infection after this period.
Giannini
E G
EG
Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy. egiannini@unige.it
Basso
M
M
Savarino
V
V
Picciotto
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012008:Recurrence; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin