title: Characterization of fibrosis changes in chronic hepatitis C patients after virological cure: A systematic review with meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Virological cure becomes available for most patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), but residual fibrosis can be an independent risk factor for liver-related complications. We aimed to characterize fibrosis change in CHC patients achieved virological cure.
  
  
  METHODS
  We did a systematic literature search for studies that had pre and post-treatment evaluations of histologic fibrosis in CHC patients with sustained virological response (SVR). We identified the association of SVR with the incidence, extent, and velocity of fibrosis change.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 3243 patients were included. Interferon-based regimens were used for all the patients, achieving a median SVR prevalence of 36.2%. Biopsy interval ranged from 1 to 10 years. Mean baseline fibrosis score (METAVIR) was 2.3 points. Compared with non-SVR patients, SVR patients could have higher incidence of fibrosis regression (35.1% vs 17.0%; OR: 3.3; P < 0.001), regardless of baseline fibrosis severity, way of biopsy evaluation, treatment regimen, or study design, and could have more extent of reduction (-0.31 points vs -0.00 points; P = 0.004). Baseline advanced fibrosis (F > 2) was associated with more rapid regression in both SVR and non-SVR patients (P < 0.05 for both). SVR patients could have lower incidence of fibrosis progression and maintenance than non-SVR patients by 4.8% versus 23.1% (OR: 0.20; P = 0.008) and 42.9% versus 55.2% (OR: 0.53; P < 0.001), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There could be a favorable characteristic of fibrosis regression in SVR patients. However, residential fibrosis may remain an issue because of a non-ignorable prevalence of fibrosis maintenance among these patients.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Guangzhou, China.|Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Zhipeng
authors: Z
authors: Liu
authors: State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Guangzhou, China.|Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Xuewu
authors: X
authors: Wei
authors: State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Guangzhou, China.|Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Ting
authors: T
authors: Chen
authors: State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Guangzhou, China.|Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Chuhong
authors: C
authors: Huang
authors: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Haiyan
authors: H
authors: Liu
authors: State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Guangzhou, China.|Southern Medical University Biomedical Research Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005355:Fibrosis; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents
keywords: fibrosis; hepatitis C; liver biopsy; meta-analyses; sustained virological response