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Clinical Trial Summary

To evaluate:

1. 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.

2. safety and efficacy of antiviral therapy in this population by using a statistically significally number of patients as controls.


Clinical Trial Description

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. ;


Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment, Masking: Open Label


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


NCT number NCT00301509
Study type Interventional
Source Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza IRCCS
Contact
Status Completed
Phase Phase 2/Phase 3
Start date January 2002
Completion date December 2005

See also
  Status Clinical Trial Phase
Completed NCT01463956 - Efficacy of PegInterferon-Ribavirin-Boceprevir Therapy in Patients Infected With G1 HCV With Cirrhosis, Awaiting Liver Transplantation Phase 2