Objective. To analyze the efficacy of antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C (HCV) in children. Patients and methods. This study included 58 children aged between 3 and 17 years who had never received antiviral therapy (AVT) before and were treated in the Pediatric Department for Infectious Diseases, N.A.Semashko City Clinical Hospital No 2 (Samara). The inclusion criteria were as follows: confirmed CHC diagnosis and follow-up for at least one year. We analyzed treatment outcomes during an 8-year period, as well as the dynamics of clinical and biochemical parameters in children with HCV depending on their response to AVT. Results. Sustained virologic response (SVR) was achieved in 19 out of 58 children (32.8%) after 24 weeks of therapy and 30 out of 58 children (51.7%) after 48 weeks of therapy. In these children, viral genotypes were distributed as follows: 1b genotype in 19 participants (32.7%), 2a genotype in 4 participants (6.9%), and 3a genotype in 7 participants (12.1%). Twenty-eight patients (71.8%) remained HCV RNA positive, including 1 child with 2a genotype (2.6%), 3 children with 3a genotype (7.7%), and 24 children with 1b genotype (61.5%). Three years after treatment completion, 25 out of 58 patients (43.1%) had SVR. During 8 years of follow-up, 17 out of 30 children (56.7%) maintained SVR. Conclusion. Five out of 58 study participants (8.6%) developed F1–F2 liber fibrosis (METAVIR scale) over 8 years of follow-up. Two out of 58 children with HCV (3,5%) were found to have liver cirrhosis 6.6 ± 1.15 years after the disease onset (minimum – 4 years; maximum – 8 years). New drugs and treatment regimens are needed to increase the SVR rate in children. Key words: children, outcomes, sustained virologic response, chronic hepatitis C
American Gastroenterological Association Institute Clinical Practice Update—Expert Review: Care of Patients Who Have Achieved a Sustained Virologic Response After Antiviral Therapy for Chronic Hepatitis C Infection
