title: Durability of a sustained virological response in chronic hepatitis C patients treated with pegylated interferon alfa and ribavirin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The reappearance rates of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA after a sustained virological response (SVR) have been reported to be 1-2%. We investigated the reappearance rate of HCV RNA after SVR in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients treated with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 292 CHC patients who achieved an SVR after PEG-IFN and ribavirin treatment were included. They were treated with subcutaneous injections of either PEG-IFN-α 2a or 2b plus ribavirin orally. Liver function tests and qualitative HCV RNA assays were performed every 6 months during the follow-up period after an SVR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 292 patients, 224 (genotype 1, 92; genotype non-1, 132) were followed up for more than 6 months after SVR. These 224 patients were aged 48.1±11.5 years (mean±SD), and 129 of them were male. The median follow-up duration was 18 months (range 6-60 months). The reappearance rate of HCV RNA during follow-up was 0%. Two patients who achieved an SVR developed hepatocellular carcinoma during the follow-up period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An SVR was maintained in all CHC patients treated with PEG-IFN plus ribavirin during a median follow-up of 18 months. However, a screening test for hepatocellular carcinoma is needed for patients with an SVR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Inje University Pusan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Bun
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Youn Jae
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jae Ik
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Byoung Jin
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jong Han
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun Uk
authors.initials: EU
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Sung Jae
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sang Heon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ji Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jung Sik
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Sam Ryong
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Jee
authors.forename: Sang Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Seol
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
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
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