Treatment Considerations in Patients With Hepatitis C and Cirrhosis

Patients with cirrhosis due to hepatitis C have a high chance of dying from progressive liver disease and thus have much to gain from successful antiviral therapy. The highest sustained virologic responses in patients with cirrhosis have been achieved using pegylated interferon alfa plus Ribavirin; 43% or more remain with undetectable virus 6 months after the cessation of 48 weeks of treatment. In those who achieve a sustained virologic response, the degree of fibrosis is less as judged on posttreatment liver biopsy; cirrhosis may even regress. In those individuals with cirrhosis who achieve a sustained virologic response, the risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma is significantly reduced and it is likely that their chance of developing liver failure is less. Patients who do not achieve sustained virologic response can still show histologic improvement as demonstrated on liver biopsy posttherapy as compared to baseline. Patients with compensated cirrhosis can benefit from therapy while those who are decompensated are prone to more safety issues. Thus, individuals with any evidence of hepatic decompensation should generally not be given interferon-based antiviral therapy, but treatment should be encouraged for those whose status is Child Class A.