Outcome of liver disease in a large cohort of histologically proven chronic hepatitis C: influence of HCV genotype

Objective To assess the influence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes on the clinical outcome of liver disease, we analysed 2307 patients. Results The most frequently represented genotypes were 1 b (40%) and 2 (28.1%). Patients with these genotypes had a median age higher than patients with other genotypes (P < 0.01). The overall survival of subjects with genotype 1 b was poorer than the survival of patients with other genotypes (P< 0.01). Liver cirrhosis was found in 280 patients (12.1%), and type 1 b was the most represented isolate among them (P < 0.01). Sixty-two patients (22%) developed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during a follow-up of 1481.8 cumulative years (estimated crude incidence rate, 4.1 cases per 100 person-years for all cirrhotics; 5.9 cases for genotype 1 a; 4.5 cases for genotype 1 b; and 2.8 cases for genotypes non-1). Considering the whole population of 2307 patients, only genotype 1 b was associated significantly with both cirrhosis and the development of HCC. One hundred and nineteen cirrhotic patients underwent treatment with interferon in uncontrolled studies. Interferon therapy was associated with both better survival (P