title: How sustained is sustained viral response in patients with hepatitis C virus infection?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sustained virological response (SVR) is achieved in a high proportion of patients with chronic hepatitis C infection, particularly those with genotype 2 or 3 HCV infection. However, data on long-term durability of virological response in patients who achieve SVR are limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the long-term durability of virological response in patients who have achieved SVR with interferon-based combination therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred patients with chronic HCV infection who had obtained SVR after IFN and ribavirin combination therapy were followed up for up to 8 years with annual HCV RNA testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During a followed up of 6 months to 8 years, 8 of 100 patients with initial SVR developed late relapse of HCV infection. Relapse was more common in patients who had cirrhosis (5/28 [18%] vs. (3/72 [4%] with no cirrhosis; p=0.037).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SVR is durable in most patients, but some patients do have late relapse; long term follow up may be particularly important in a subset of patients with HCV infection who have liver cirrhosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, India. ajitsood10@sify.com
authors.forename: Ajit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sood
authors.forename: Vandana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Midha
authors.forename: Varun
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: Sarit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Rasham
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mittal
authors.forename: Amandeep
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thara
authors.forename: Neena
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sood
authors.forename: Amarjeet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaur
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015993:Life Tables; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012008:Recurrence; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012254:Ribavirin; D007372:Interferons
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