Disease Reversibility in Patients With Post-Hepatitis C Cirrhosis: Is the Point of No Return the Same Before and After Liver Transplantation? A Review.

Liver fibrosis can regress in patients with chronic hepatitis in whom the underlying cause of liver damage is adequately treated. Studies documenting this benefit have been mostly performed in the setting of viral hepatitis, particularly hepatitis C virus, where sustained viral response has been unequivocally shown to result in histological and clinical improvement. With the advent of the new IFN-free regimens, highly effective and safe even in those historically considered "difficult to treat and cure patients," additional benefits have been documented in patients treated at advanced stages of disease, including improvement in liver function with hepatic "recompensation," reduction of portal hypertension, and eventually avoidance of liver transplantation. Disease reversibility has been also demonstrated in the posttransplant setting and appears to be similar to what is observed in the nontransplant patient.