Key result
Shear wave elastography ≥ 11 kPa is linked to ~28-fold greater HCC risk in post-SVR hepatitis C.
Why the study?
The relationship between fibrosis assessed by shear wave elastography and hepatocellular carcinoma risk after sustained virological response in chronic hepatitis C patients was unclear.
Does shear wave elastography predict hepatocellular carcinoma risk in hepatitis C patients after sustained virological response?
Cohort (n=196)
No
Does shear wave elastography predict hepatocellular carcinoma risk in hepatitis C patients after sustained virological response?
Hazard Ratio: 28.71 (95% CI 2.58–320.03)
Absolute Event Rate: 62.4% vs 1.3%
p-value: p=0.006
Shear wave elastography results ≥11 kPa independently predict the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients who have achieved sustained virological response after hepatitis C infection.
May refine post-SVR HCC risk stratification; leaves open whether elastography should alter surveillance practice.
AIM: To evaluate the relationship between fibrosis and HCC after sustained virological response (SVR) to treatment for chronic hepatitis C (HCV). METHODS: This single-center study retrospectively evaluated 196 patients who achieved SVR after HCV infection. The associations of risk factors with HCC development after HCV eradication were evaluated using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models. RESULTS: Among the 196 patients, 8 patients (4.1%) developed HCC after SVR during a median follow-up of 26 months. Multivariate analyses revealed that HCC development was independently associated with age of ≥75 years (risk ratio [RR] = 35.16), α- fetoprotein levels of ≥6 ng/mL (RR = 40.30), and SWE results of ≥11 kPa (RR = 28.71). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that SWE may facilitate HCC surveillance after SVR and the identification of patients who have an increased risk of HCC after HCV clearance.
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Hamada et al. (2018) conducted a cohort in Chronic hepatitis C after sustained virological response (n=196). Shear wave elastography (SWE) ≥ 11 kPa vs. Shear wave elastography (SWE) < 11 kPa was evaluated on Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development (HR 28.71, 95% CI 2.58-320.03, p=0.006). Shear wave elastography results of ≥ 11 kPa independently predicted a significantly increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma development (HR 28.71) in hepatitis C patients after achieving sustained virological response.