Efficacy of interferon retreatment after relapse for chronic hepatitis C patients with biochemical response after first interferon therapy

Arase, Yasuji; Ikeda, Kenji; Tsubota, Akihito; Suzuki, Yoshiyuki; Saitoh, Satoshi; Kobayashi, Masahiro; Suzuki, Fumitaka; Akuta, Norio; Someya, Takashi; Hosaka, Tetsuya; Kobayashi, Mariko; Kumada, Hiromitsu

doi:10.1007/s00535-003-1323-4

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 35 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Since the non-HCC patients were also elderly, some other host factor in addition to oxidative damage, must be delaying HCC in this group. Studies (30) have shown that IFN re-treatment aids in re-achieving biochemical response in CHC patients. In 10 out of 11 patients in this study who were re-treated with IFN, IFN re-treatment might have helped to maintain a low ALT status or prevented further elevation of ALT, but a bigger patient population of IFN re-treated patients are required to establish this hypothesis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Analysis of Risk Factors for Developing Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a Group of Hepatitis C Patients with Stage 3 Fibrosis following Interferon Therapy

et al. 2008

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract:The risk of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is high in HCV-infected patients who have biochemically and histologically active chronic hepatitis. To observe the long prognosis of Chronic Hepatitis C (CHC) patients with stage 3 fi brosis (F3), 55 CHC patients after initial Interferon (IFN) therapy were followed up for up to 12 years (average 9.8 ± 2.3 years). According to the annual average alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, patients were grouped into, low (ALT Ϲ 30 IU/l); moderate (ALT Ͼ30 Ͻ80 IU/l) and high (ALT м 80 IU/l) ALT groups. Eleven patients were re-treated with IFN. During the follow-up period of 12 years, HCC developed in 26 patients with an average annual incidence of 3.9%. Biochemical responders to initial IFN therapy (n = 8) and those re-treated with IFN (n = 10), except 1, did not develop HCC. Cox regression analysis to evaluate risk factors for HCC occurrence, found development of Liver Cirrhosis within 3 years of initial IFN therapy(P = 0.05) and the 3 year annual average ALT post initial IFN therapy (P = 0.033) to be signifi cant. The 12 year annual average ALT was also found to be signifi cantly related to HCC occurrence (P = 0.016), on univariate analysis. Patients belonging to the continuously low ALT group (ALT Ϲ 30 IU/l for м3 years), did not develop HCC or receive IFN re-treatment. In CHC patients with F3, after initial IFN therapy, keeping ALT continuously low, below 30 IU/l for 3 years or more seems important. Continuing treatment with anti-infl ammatory drugs along with subsequent IFN re-treatment may prevent or delay HCC even in elderly patients.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%