Histological response in patients treated by interferon plus ribavirin for hepatitis C virus-related severe fibrosis

Abstract

Interferon can slow fibrosis progression in sustained virological responders with severe fibrosis. In patients with a non-virological response and treated for 12 months the fibrosis progression rate was nil, meaning that only fibrosis stabilization could be obtained in these patients. Then, longer treatment duration (3-4 years) could be evaluated in non-virological responders.

Effect of interferon alpha and ribavirin treatment on serum levels of transforming growth factor-β1, vascular endothelial growth factor, and basic fibroblast growth factor in patients with chronic hepatitis C

“…Reports were published concerning the possibility of fibrosis stage decrease following effective causal treatment, for example, following treatment of CHC with interferon and ribavirin [6,10,21,22] . Some authors have reported even cases of regression of cirrhosis that has been considered irreversible so far [2,6,10,19,[23][24][25][26] . This study made an attempt to define the role that may be played by chosen growth factors in processes occurring in course of chronic hepatitis.…”

Sustained virological response to interferon reduces cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis C: a 1386‐patient study from Taiwan

“…13 However, the long-term benefit of IFN-based therapy in the prevention of cirrhosis in non-cirrhotic CHC patients was rarely investigated and the results were inconsistent. 14,15 Consequently, this nationwide, multicentre, retrospective-prospective cohort study was conducted aiming to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of IFNbased therapy in the prevention of cirrhosis development among non-cirrhotic CHC patients in Taiwan.…”

Review article: the prevention and reversal of hepatic fibrosis in autoimmune hepatitis

“…[66][67][68][69][70][71] Nevertheless, creditable clinical reports emerged that affirmed the reversal of hepatic fibrosis in autoimmune hepatitis after immunosuppressive therapy, 6,40 and the demonstration of this reversal in tissue samples of adequate size was compelling. 41,42 Furthermore, studies in animal models 72,73 and patients [74][75][76][77][78][79][80][81][82][83][84] with diverse forms of advanced fibrotic liver disease supported this possibility. The reversal of hepatic fibrosis is now recognised as an achievable objective in the treatment of chronic liver disease, [85][86][87][88] and autoimmune hepatitis is a prime candidate in which to seek this result.…”