Clinical Trial: Antiviral Therapy in Decompensated Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Cirrhosis
Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Interventional
Official Title: Outcome of Decompensated Hepatitis C Virus-Related Cirrhotic Patients Treated With Peginterferon Alfa-2b and Ribavirin: Results of a Controlled Study
Brief Summary:
To evaluate:
- the impact of combined antiviral therapy (Peginterferon plus ribavirin) on natural history of patients affected with HCV decompensated cirrhosis, after sustained virological response. A controlled study.
- safety and efficacy of antiviral therapy in this population by using a statistically significally number of patients as controls.
Detailed Summary: Decompensated HCV cirrhosis is a relevant problem as its clinical evidences predisposes to an high mortality risk, with a survival rate of 50% at 5 years (1,2). Davis et. al processed a mathematical model of the natural history of chronic hepatitis C and projected the total number of cases with cirrhosis increased by more than 50% by 2010 and then plateaued (3). As a result, there will be a dramatic increase in the number of cases with complications of liver failure and decompensated events of cirrhosis will increase to 25% in 2010, 32% in 2020, 36% in 2030, and 38% in 2040 (3, table 1).Liver transplantation is the treatment of choice but the limited number of organ donor makes not realizable for the major of patients. Furthermore, age over 65 years correlated disease is not accepted to enter into the list of liver transplant. To prevent these patients from worsening their liver disease has positive economic implications in terms of health care resources used as diagnostic tests, clinic visits, drug therapy, hospitalization for management of complications, and later on, liver transplantation, and indirect costs related to lost work time and impaired quality of life. our controlled study on antiviral treatment of decompensated cirrhotics has shown that HCV clearance by therapy can be life-saving, improves hepatic function, and reduces disease progression. Treatment should be encouraged in CTP classes A and B, and especially in patients infected by genotype 2. The benefit of treating patients with genotype 1 remains unproven.
Sponsor: Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza IRCCS
Current Primary Outcome:
Original Primary Outcome:
Current Secondary Outcome:
Original Secondary Outcome:
Information By: Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza IRCCS
Dates:
Date Received: March 10, 2006
Date Started: January 2002
Date Completion: December 2005
Last Updated: March 10, 2006
Last Verified: December 2005
