title: [Durability of sustained virologic response in chronic hepatitis C: analysis of factors related to relapse after sustained virologic response with peginterferon plus ribavirin combination therapy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pegylated interferon plus ribavirin combination therapy has been the standard of therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis C. Although previous studies have reported long term durability after the sustained virologic response (SVR) with standard therapy for chronic hepatitis C, it is still unclear in Korea. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relapse rate and related factors after SVR to pegylated interferon therapy in Korean patients with chronic hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 119 chronic hepatitis C patients were treated with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin, and 73 patients achieved SVR (61.3%). Among 73 patients who achieved SVR, 68 patients (genotype 1, n=40; genotype non-1, n=28) were evaluated for virological response after SVR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SVR rate in genotype 1 and genotype non-1 were 52.5%, and 65.1%, respectively. Relapse after SVR occurred in 5 patients (7.4%) with genotype 1, and the median time to relapse from SVR was 10 months. Univariate analysis revealed that the dose reduction of pegylated interferon (p=0.005) and cirrhosis (p=0.03) were significantly associated with relapse.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggested that the relapse could occur even after SVR achievement in Korean patients with chronic hepatitis C, and the dose reduction of pegylated interferon during treatment or having cirrhosis may increased the risk for relapse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, WHO Collaborating Center on Viral Hepatitis, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Korea.
authors.forename: Jang Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Na Ri
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Jin Dong
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Myeong Jun
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Jung Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Si Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Jong Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Sung Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Seung Kew
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Yoon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012008:Recurrence; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a