Clin Mol Hepatol.  2016 Sep;22(3):390-395. 10.3350/cmh.2015.0050.

Regression of esophageal varices and splenomegaly in two patients with hepatitis-C-related liver cirrhosis after interferon and ribavirin combination therapy

• Lee SJ
• Cho YK
• Na SY
• Choi EK
• Boo SJ
• Jeong SU
• Song HJ
• Kim HU
• Kim BS
• Song BC

• KMID: 2373140
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3350/cmh.2015.0050

Abstract

Some recent studies have found regression of liver cirrhosis after antiviral therapy in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related liver cirrhosis, but there have been no reports of complete regression of esophageal varices after interferon/peg-interferon and ribavirin combination therapy. We describe two cases of complete regression of esophageal varices and splenomegaly after interferon-alpha and ribavirin combination therapy in patients with HCV-related liver cirrhosis. Esophageal varices and splenomegaly regressed after 3 and 8 years of sustained virologic responses in cases 1 and 2, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating that complications of liver cirrhosis, such as esophageal varices and splenomegaly, can regress after antiviral therapy in patients with HCV-related liver cirrhosis.

Keyword

Esophageal varices; Splenomegaly; Regression; Hepatitis C, Liver cirrhosis; Interferon; Ribavirin

MeSH Terms

Abdomen/diagnostic imaging
Antiviral Agents/*therapeutic use
Drug Therapy, Combination
Endoscopy, Digestive System
Esophageal and Gastric Varices/complications/prevention & control
Female
Hepatitis C/complications/*drug therapy
Humans
Interferon-alpha/*therapeutic use
Liver Cirrhosis/*etiology
Male
Middle Aged
Polyethylene Glycols/*therapeutic use
Recombinant Proteins/therapeutic use
Ribavirin/*therapeutic use
Splenomegaly/complications/prevention & control
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Ultrasonography
Antiviral Agents
Interferon-alpha
Recombinant Proteins
Polyethylene Glycols
Ribavirin