Report from EASL; The European Association for the Study of the Liver Conference, Rotterdam, April 28-May 3, 2000 - Report 9

This abstract was presented at EASL discusses a non-invasive way to method to evaluate fibrosis in patients with chronic HCV treated with interferon.

INTERFERON IMPROVES LIVER FIBROSIS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS C

F Serejo, A Costa, F Ramalho, A Batista, MC Moura, Liver Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Lisbon

To evaluate the effect of IFN on evolution of fibrosis and the significance of serum N-terminal propepeptide of procollagen type III (PIIP) in chronic hepatitis C treated with a-interferon (IFN). 117 patients (pts), 72 men and 45 females (40.7±11.9) were treated with aIFN (5-6 MIU0 for 12 months and divided into 3 groups; responders (SR=31), relapsers (RR=24) and non-responders (NR=26). Liver biopsies were performed before IFN and one year after stop IFN to study HAI. PIIP was obtained at the day of biopsy, when start, during, and at the end of therapy and during the follow-up and measured by RIA-N.V.-29 health individuals- 0.37±0.18 U/L.

Fibrosis improved by 58%- SR, 12.5%- RR, and 11.5% NR. A correlation was seen between PIIP and the HAI before (n=71 rs=0.41 p<0.0004) and after IFN (n=62 rs=0.58 p<0.0001). The SR had a higher improvement of grading (90.5% p<0.05) and staging (58% p<0.001). PIIP was lower in pts. who improved fibrosis (p<0.01). At the end of IFN, PIIP had a predictive value in the distinction of SR from RR (PPV-64; PNV-55.6). During follow-up, PIIP was lower in SR, comparing RR and NR (p<0.002). Genotype 1 is not associated to the grade of fibrosis.

The authors concluded:

AIFN improves fibrosis and PIIP must be a useful non-invasive method to evaluate fibrogenesis in patients with chronic HCV treated with interferon.