HEPATITIS C CLINICAL TRIAL-CLINICAL CENTERS

该项目旨在开发实用、安全、有效的方法来预防慢性丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）感染患者肝病的进展。 大约 800 名对 α 干扰素（联合或不联合利巴韦林）治疗无反应且肝活检显示明显纤维化的慢性丙型肝炎患者将参加一项持续长期抗病毒治疗（长达四年）的有效性和安全性研究。该试验的目的是评估长期抗病毒治疗的连续治疗是否可以减缓肝病的进展，预防肝硬化或预防肝硬化恶化、失代偿、肝细胞癌（HCC）的发展以及肝病导致的死亡。 该试验还将评估丙型肝炎的自然史以及预测疾病进展或与疾病进展相关的因素。 主要重点是评估抗病毒治疗尽管不能根除丙型肝炎病毒，但是否可以抑制肝细胞损伤、坏死和纤维化。 先前接受过α干扰素治疗但未出现持续病毒学和生化反应的慢性丙型肝炎患者将有资格参加试验。

This project is aimed at developing practical, safe and effective means of preventing the progression of liver disease in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Approximately 800 patients with chronic hepatitis C who have failed to respond to therapy with alpha interferon (with or without ribavirin) and who have significant fibrosis on liver biopsy will be enrolled in a study of the efficacy and safety of a continuous long-term antiviral therapy (for as long as four years). The objective of the Trial is to evaluate whether continuous therapy with long-term antiviral therapy can slow the progression of liver disease, preventing cirrhosis or preventing worsening of cirrhosis, decompensation, development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and death from liver disease. The Trial will also evaluate the natural history of hepatitis C and the factors that predict or correlate with disease progression. The major focus will be to evaluate whether antiviral therapy, despite not leading to eradication of HCV, can suppress hepatocellular injury, necrosis and fibrosis. Patients with chronic hepatitis C who have previously been treated with alpha interferon without a sustained virological and biochemical response will be eligible to enter the Trial.