Hosoda K, Yokosuka O, Kato N, Ito Y, Ohto M, Omata M
First Department of Medicine, Chiba University School of Medicine, Japan.
Gastroenterol Jpn. 1993 May;28 Suppl 5:115-7. doi: 10.1007/BF02989220.
To assess the effects of interferon treatment on chronic hepatitis C, histological changes long after treatment were compared with normalization of aminotransferases and seroconversion of hepatitis C virus RNA. Twenty one histologically proven chronic hepatitis C patients received alpha-interferon, 3 million units 3 times weekly for 12 months. Hepatitis C virus RNA was detected by reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction method. Follow-up liver biopsies were performed 3 to 5 years after treatment. Fourteen of 21 (67%) patients showed normal aminotransferases for 3 to 5 years after treatment. HCV RNA seroconversion was observed in 12 of these patients. These responders showed improvement in histological activity indices and in histological findings. Two patients improved from chronic active hepatitis 2a to nonspecific changes, 1 from chronic active hepatitis 2a to portal fibrosis, 1 from chronic active hepatitis 2a to chronic persistent hepatitis and 1 from chronic active hepatitis 2b to chronic persistent hepatitis. Histological improvement of the liver correlated well with normalization of aminotransferases and seroconversion of hepatitis C virus RNA. These data indicate that complete histological resolution of chronic hepatitis C can be achieved by elimination of the virus with interferon treatment.
为评估干扰素治疗对慢性丙型肝炎的影响，将治疗后很长一段时间的组织学变化与转氨酶正常化及丙型肝炎病毒RNA血清学转换进行了比较。21例经组织学证实的慢性丙型肝炎患者接受了α干扰素治疗，剂量为300万单位，每周3次，共12个月。采用逆转录/聚合酶链反应法检测丙型肝炎病毒RNA。治疗后3至5年进行随访肝活检。21例患者中有14例（67%）在治疗后3至5年转氨酶正常。其中12例患者出现HCV RNA血清学转换。这些应答者的组织学活动指数和组织学表现均有改善。2例患者从慢性活动性肝炎2a改善为非特异性改变，1例从慢性活动性肝炎2a改善为门脉纤维化，1例从慢性活动性肝炎2a改善为慢性持续性肝炎，1例从慢性活动性肝炎2b改善为慢性持续性肝炎。肝脏组织学改善与转氨酶正常化及丙型肝炎病毒RNA血清学转换密切相关。这些数据表明，通过干扰素治疗清除病毒可实现慢性丙型肝炎组织学的完全缓解。
