system
Medical AI Inquiry: You was designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.  Labels: BACKGROUND, METHODS, RESULTS. Meshes: Adult, Antiviral Agents, Data Interpretation, Statistical, Female, HIV, HIV Infections, Hepacivirus, Hepatitis C, Chronic, Humans, Liver Cirrhosis, Male, Retrospective Studies, Risk Factors, Spain, Species Specificity, Time Factors, Treatment Failure, Urban Population.
user
Is sustained virological response following HCV therapy associated with non-progression of liver fibrosis in HCV/HIV-coinfected patients? Context: Chronic hepatitis C leads to progressive liver fibrosis, which is accelerated in HIV-coinfected patients. Unfortunately, hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy provides sustained virological response (SVR) to only 40% of coinfected patients. Little is known about the regression of hepatic fibrosis in treated patients. All coinfected patients who had completed a full course of HCV therapy at our institution were identified. Liver fibrosis staging was estimated using non-invasive procedures at the time of initiating HCV therapy and reassessed at the last patient's follow-up using elastometry (FibroScan). A total of 103 coinfected patients were identified. HCV genotype distribution was 1 (63%), 3 (29%) and 4 (8%). SVR had been attained by 34 individuals, while the remaining 69 were non-responders and/or relapsers. The mean lag time between the end of HCV therapy and the current assessment of liver fibrosis was 40 months, without differences between groups. Metavir score estimates were comparable before initiating HCV therapy in SVR and non-SVR patients. By contrast, current Metavir scores were lower in SVR than in non-SVR patients; for instance, F3-F4 estimates were 12% versus 54%, respectively (P < 0.001). Moreover, the longer the time elapsed after HCV therapy, the lower the liver fibrosis in SVR patients (rho = -0.39; P = 0.02). Conversely, liver fibrosis staging directly correlated with the lag following HCV therapy in non-SVR patients (rho = 0.25; P = 0.03).
assistant
SVR after HCV therapy is associated with non-progression of liver fibrosis in HCV/HIV-coinfected patients, although this benefit may not be universal and improvement only been recognizable after several years of follow-up. Final Decision: yes