ISSN:
1365-2036
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
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.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2036.2005.02679.x
