In patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection undergoing antiviral therapy, liver stiffness declines significantly after achieving sustained virological response (SVR), with the degree of decline greater in the first year after treatment. This according to a study that assessed long-term (up to 5 years) liver stiffness in 153 HCV patients undergoing antiviral treatment. Stiffness was assessed at baseline, end of treatment, 6 months after treatment, and every year hereafter up to 5 years. Researchers found:

• 70 patients were treated with interferon-based regimens and 83 with direct-acting antiviral agents.
• SVR was achieved in 112 patients; 41 were non-responders.
• In responders, stiffness decreased from 12.3 kPa to 6.6 kPa at 5 years.
• A sharper decline was observed immediately after treatment, while it was progressively lower from 1 year onwards.
• In non-responders, stiffness showed a slight decrease at the end of treatment, returned to baseline levels at 6 months, then increased over time up to 23.7 kPa at 5 years.