{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,12]],"date-time":"2025-10-12T01:51:13Z","timestamp":1760233873233,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,26]],"date-time":"2021-02-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1614297600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Medicina"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background and Objectives: Chronic hepatitis C virus infection affects about 71 million people worldwide. It is one of the most common chronic liver conditions associated with an increased risk of developing liver cirrhosis and cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in liver fibrosis and the risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma after direct-acting antiviral drug therapy, and to assess factors, linked with these outcomes. Materials and Methods: 70 chronic hepatitis C patients were evaluated for factors linked to increased risk of de novo liver cancer and \u2265 20% decrease of ultrasound transient elastography values 12 weeks after the end of treatment. Results: The primary outcome was an improvement of liver stiffness at the end of treatment (p = 0.004), except for patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 (p = 0.49). Logistic regression analysis revealed factors associated with \u2265 20% decrease of liver stiffness values: lower degree of steatosis in liver tissue biopsy (p = 0.053); no history of interferon-based therapy (p = 0.045); elevated liver enzymes (p = 0.023\u20130.036); higher baseline liver stiffness value (p = 0.045) and absence of splenomegaly (p = 0.035). Hepatocellular carcinoma developed in 4 (5.7%) patients, all with high alpha-fetoprotein values (p = 0.0043) and hypoechoic liver mass (p = 0.0001), three of these patients had diabetes mellitus type 2. Conclusions: Liver stiffness decrease was significant as early as 12 weeks after the end of treatment. Patients with diabetes and advanced liver disease are at higher risk of developing non-regressive fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma even after successful treatment.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/medicina57030210","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,26]],"date-time":"2021-02-26T06:47:20Z","timestamp":1614322040000},"page":"210","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Assessment of Liver Stiffness Regression and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients after Treatment with Direct-Acting Antiviral Drugs"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"57","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5720-0244","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Martynas","family":"Ridziauskas","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, M.K. Ciurlionio 21, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Birut\u0117","family":"Zablockien\u0117","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center of Infectious Diseases, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania"},{"name":"Clinic of Infectious Diseases and Dermatovenerology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, M.K. Ciurlionio 21, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6488-6312","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ligita","family":"Jan\u010dorien\u0117","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center of Infectious Diseases, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania"},{"name":"Clinic of Infectious Diseases and Dermatovenerology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, M.K. Ciurlionio 21, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Art\u016bras","family":"Samuilis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, LT-08661 Vilnius, Lithuania"},{"name":"Department of Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M.K. Ciurlionio 21, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Rolandas","family":"Zablockis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center of Pulmonology and Allergology, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, Santariskiu 2, LT-08661 Vilnius, Lithuania"},{"name":"Clinic of Chest Diseases, Immunology and Allergology, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University, M.K. Ciurlionio 21, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0982-7819","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Au\u0161rin\u0117","family":"Jackevi\u010di\u016bt\u0117","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, M.K. Ciurlionio 21, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"WHO (2017). Who Global Hepatitis Report, WHO."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2429","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMcp1006613","article-title":"Chronic Hepatitis C Infection","volume":"364","author":"Rosen","year":"2011","journal-title":"N. Engl. J. 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