Hepatic steatosis in chronic hepatitis C: impact on response to anti-viral treatment with peg-interferon and ribavirin.

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 alpha-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 gamma-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.

• Authors: M Guidi, P Muratori, A Granito, L Muratori, G Pappas, M Lenzi, F B Bianchi
• Journal: Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics (Aliment Pharmacol Ther) Vol. 22 Issue 10 Pg. 943-9 (Nov 15 2005) ISSN: 0269-2813 [Print] England
• PMID: 16268968 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antiviral Agents
• Interferon alpha-2
• Interferon-alpha
• Recombinant Proteins
• Polyethylene Glycols
• Ribavirin
• peginterferon alfa-2b

Topics

• Adult
• Antiviral Agents (therapeutic use)
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Fatty Liver (complications)
• Female
• Hepatitis C, Chronic (drug therapy)
• Humans
• Interferon alpha-2
• Interferon-alpha (therapeutic use)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Polyethylene Glycols
• Recombinant Proteins
• Ribavirin (therapeutic use)