Natural course of treated and untreated chronic HCV infection: results of the nationwide Hepnet.Greece cohort study

Summary Background  Interferon (IFN‐α)‐based regimens have been used with varying success in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) for over two decades. The effect of such treatments on the natural course of CHC has been evaluated in small clinical trials with conflicting results. Aim  To inves...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics 2009-05, Vol.29 (10), p.1121-1130
Main Authors: MANESIS, E. K., PAPATHEODORIDIS, G. V., TOULOUMI, G., KARAFOULIDOU, A., KETIKOGLOU, J., KITIS, G. E., ANTONIOU, A., KANATAKIS, S., KOUTSOUNAS, S. J., VAFIADIS, I.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use
Biological and medical sciences
Digestive system
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Epidemiologic Methods
Female
Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen
Greece
Hepatitis C virus
Hepatitis C, Chronic - drug therapy
Human viral diseases
Humans
Infectious diseases
Interferon-alpha - therapeutic use
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Time Factors
Treatment Outcome
Viral diseases
Viral hepatitis
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Summary Background  Interferon (IFN‐α)‐based regimens have been used with varying success in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) for over two decades. The effect of such treatments on the natural course of CHC has been evaluated in small clinical trials with conflicting results. Aim  To investigate the natural course of IFNα‐based ‐treated and untreated patients with CHC by analysing data from the HEPNET.GREECE study. Methods  We retrospectively analysed 1738 patients from 25 Greek Centres (median age 40.1; males 57.6%; cirrhosis 9.2%), 734 untreated and 993 treated with IFNα‐based regimens [44.7% sustained viral response (SVR)], followed‐up for median 25.2 and 46.8 months, respectively. Results During follow‐up, 48 patients developed liver decompensation and 24 HCC. Older age was significantly related to disease progression (HR = 2.6 per 10 years of increasing age). Stratified by baseline cirrhosis, Cox analysis showed that patients with SVR, but not without SVR, had significantly lower hazard for events compared with nontreated patients (HR = 0.16; P 
ISSN:0269-2813
1365-2036
DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2036.2009.03974.x