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- Title
Hepatic steatosis in chronic hepatitis C: impact on response to anti-viral treatment with peg-interferon and ribavirin.
- Authors
GUIDI, M.; MURATORI, P.; GRANITO, A.; MURATORI, L.; PAPPAS, G.; LENZI, M.; BIANCHI, F. B.
- Abstract
Background: There is increasing evidence that hepatic steatosis contributes to the progression of liver fibrosis, whereas its impact on the efficacy of anti-viral treatment is still under investigation. Aim: To evaluate the effect of steatosis on the outcome of combined anti-viral treatment. Methods: We studied 102 consecutive naive patients with chronic hepatitis C receiving combined anti-viral therapy (peg-interferon α-2b and ribavirin). Results: Fifty (49%) of 102 patients had evidence of hepatic steatosis (29 grade 1, 16 grade 2 and 5 grade 3). Sustained virological response was similar in patients with and without steatosis (58% vs. 56%); moreover, the grade of steatosis did not affect the rate of sustained virological response (grade 1: 58%, grade 2: 56% and grade 3: 60%). Patients with steatosis had significantly higher serum levels of aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and γ-glutamyltransferase ( P = 0.007, 0.004 and 0.03, respectively), higher histological activity ( P = 0.03), more advanced stage of fibrosis ( P = 0.0394) and more often hepatitis C virus genotype 3 ( P = 0.04). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that hepatic steatosis in chronic hepatitis C, irrespective of its grade, is not a negative prognostic factor of response to combined anti-viral therapy, even when the histological and biochemical profile of the disease is more aggressive.
- Subjects
FATTY liver; FATTY degeneration; FIBROSIS; LIVER diseases; ANTIVIRAL agents; HEPATITIS C; RIBAVIRIN
- Publication
Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2005, Vol 22, Issue 10, p943
- ISSN
0269-2813
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1365-2036.2005.02679.x