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World J Gastroenterol. May 14, 2013; 19(18): 2793-2798
Published online May 14, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i18.2793
Published online May 14, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i18.2793
Sustained virological response: A milestone in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C
Filomena Morisco, Rocco Granata, Maria Guarino, Laura Donnarumma, Laura Gaeta, Ilaria Loperto, Francesco Auriemma, Nicola Caporaso, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Gastroenterology Unit, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy
Tommaso Stroffolini, Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive e Tropicali, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, 00161 Rome, Italy
Ivan Gentile, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Infectious Diseases Unit, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy
Author contributions: Morisco F and Caporaso N designed the study; Granata R, Donnarumma L, Guarino M, Loperto I, Auriemma F, Gentile I and Gaeta L performed the majority of the experiments; Morisco F, Caporaso N, Granata R and Stroffolini T analyzed and expanded the data; Morisco F, Granata R and Caporaso N wrote the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Filomena Morisco, MD, Chair of Gastroenterology, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Gastroenterology Unit, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via S Pansini, 5, 80131 Naples, Italy. filomena.morisco@unina.it
Telephone: +39-81-7464746 Fax: +39-81-7464746
Received: August 31, 2012
Revised: March 8, 2013
Accepted: March 15, 2013
Published online: May 14, 2013
Revised: March 8, 2013
Accepted: March 15, 2013
Published online: May 14, 2013
Core Tip
Core tip: This study represents one of the longest follow-up studies on the natural history of successfully treated chronically hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected individuals. The outcome of the study was very positive, as it revealed an extremely high survival rate, an extremely low rate of liver complications, and a significant reduction in liver fibrosis in patients who have achieved sustained virological response (SVR). All of the patients without cirrhosis before starting the treatment showed no signs of evolution or decompensation over the years of observation, proving that SVR positively changes the natural history in individuals with HCV-infection.