“12 weeks’ stopping rule” in the treatment of genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C: Two prognostic categories under the same label?

Abstract

The "12-week stopping rule" includes two different categories of responders considered candidates for maintained therapy, but the probability of obtaining SVR is very low in patients with HCV-RNA that is still detectable at this time of treatment. We suggest that, in these partial responders, the prolongation of therapy should be decided on an individual basis.

Predicting response to therapy in chronic hepatitis C: An approach combining interleukin‐28B gene polymorphisms and clinical data

“…Patients with HIV or active HBV infections were excluded. According to the results of therapy, patients were classified as sustained viral responders (undetectable HCV‐RNA levels 24 weeks after the end of therapy), primary non‐responders (in accordance with the 12 or 24 stopping rules), 19 and relapsers (undetectable RNA levels at the end of therapy, but reappearance of HCV‐RNA in the serum after the end of therapy). Patients who stopped therapy prematurely due to severe adverse events were not included.…”

Predictive baseline criteria of primary therapeutic failure in chronic hepatitis C genotype 1

“…Viral relapse is related to a delayed response to therapy. Patients with a drop > 2 log 10 but still detectable viral load at week 12 are firm candidates to suffer from viral relapse if they achieve undetectable viral load at week 24 (8), and the current strategy is to prolong therapy until 72 weeks, in an attempt to improve the rate of SVR (9)(10)(11).…”