title: Favorable Outcomes of Chinese HCV-Related Cirrhotic Patients with Sustained Virological Response after Pegylated Interferon Plus Ribavirin Treatment.
abstract: Few studies have conducted follow-up investigations of the clinical course in HCV-related cirrhotic patients who achieved a sustained virological response (SVR) with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin treatment (PegIFN + RBV). We investigated the clinical course and laboratory data in a prospective cohort study enrolling HCV-related cirrhotic patients who received PegIFN + RBV between August 2008 and July 2013 in China. Complete blood counts, liver function tests, and HCV-RNA were serially examined. Liver-related complications were recorded. To detect hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), alpha-fetoprotein assays, and ultrasound scans were repeated at 6-month intervals. Twenty-five patients were enrolled, including 8 patients with decompensation events before treatment. Eighteen patients achieved SVR with a mean follow-up period of 25.78 months. During the follow-up period, only one patient exhibited HCV-RNA positivity and no decompensation events were detected, but 4 patients developed HCC after SVR. APRI decreased more in patients with SVR than in patients with non-SVR (median, -1.33 versus 0.86,P< 0.001). The albumin levels and platelet counts significantly increased during the follow-up period after SVR (44.27 ± 4.09 versus 42.63 ± 4.37,P= 0.037 and 173.89 ± 87.36 versus 160.11 ± 77.97,P= 0.047). These data indicated that HCV-related cirrhotic patients with SVR after PegIFN + RBV may have a favorable clinical course and improvements in laboratory data. Moreover, HCC should be monitored.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Geng-Lin
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4156-4147
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: You-Ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Qing-Xian
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Xing
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Chao-Shuang
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4396-3531
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, Sun Yat-Sen University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Liang
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0439-1187
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D044466:Asian People; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012709:Serum Albumin; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase