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Care After Cure: Long-term Follow-up in Hepatitis C

  • Hepatitis C (H Vargas and S Flamm, Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Hepatology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

To summarize recommendations and common practices for long-term surveillance after hepatitis C cure.

Recent Findings

Patients with advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis have continued risk of the complications of portal hypertension and hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatitis C cure. While improvement in fibrosis has been noted, the clinical implications are not fully understood. Guidelines recommend no alteration in surveillance strategies based upon fibrosis measurements after hepatitis C cure.

Summary

Liver wellness approaches and strategies to avoid reinfection are recommended for all patients after hepatitis C cure. Patients with early stage fibrosis after hepatitis C cure can be discharged from specialty care unless a co-existing liver disease is present, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Patients with advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis are recommended to have indefinite surveillance for the complications of portal hypertension and hepatocellular carcinoma. Further investigation is needed to understand fibrosis regression and thresholds when surveillance can be discontinued.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA

    Kostantinos Evangelos Morris

  2. Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA

    Andrew Joseph Muir

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  1. Kostantinos Evangelos Morris
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  2. Andrew Joseph Muir
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Contributions

Mr. Morris and Dr. Muir both conducted the research for this review. Mr. Morris wrote the first draft, and Dr. Muir edited the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Andrew Joseph Muir.

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Conflict of Interest

Dr. Muir has received research grants and served on advisory boards for AbbVie, Gilead, and Merck.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Hepatitis C

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Morris, K.E., Muir, A.J. Care After Cure: Long-term Follow-up in Hepatitis C. Curr Hepatology Rep 20, 183–190 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11901-021-00579-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11901-021-00579-5

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