RESULTS OF ANTIFIBROTIC THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS B+C

Abstract

Modern antiviral therapy regimens for patients with chronic viral hepatitis aim to achieve either long-term suppression of pathogen replication (e.g., nucleoside analogs in chronic hepatitis B) or complete elimination of the virus (such as direct-acting antiviral drugs in chronic hepatitis C). However, antiviral agents do not have a significant impact on the complete restoration of biochemical processes or the prevention of further progression of morphological changes in the liver. These limitations emphasize the ongoing need for new therapeutic strategies that target the processes of fibrogenesis. The aim of the work is to assess the possibility of the effect of the drug "Bicyclol" on fibrotic changes in patients with chronic hepatitis B+C using a non-invasive scale of the rate of fibrosis. Materials and methods An analysis of the dynamics of 62 patients with chronic hepatitis B and C (HCV+C) was conducted. All patients received long-term antiviral therapy consisting of pegylated interferon for 48 weeks. In the main group (Group I), patients with chronic hepatitis B and C were prescribed the drug "Bicyclol" after completing antiviral treatment with interferon. The control group (Group II) followed the principles of proper nutrition and took traditional hepatoprotectors. Based on the identified correlations, a non-invasive scale was proposed to assess the individual risk of liver fibrosis progression. Research results Against the background of the use of an antiviral treatment regimen, the normalization of cytolysis indicators was observed in most patients with CHB+C, but in some patients it was short-lived. Treatment with the drug "Bicyclol" contributed to a further decrease in cytolysis indicators, in the vast majority of patients with CHB+C, the activity of ALT and AST reached the upper limit of the norm. In patients with CHB+C who received only basic treatment without an antifibrotic component, a tendency to maintain an elevated level of transaminases was observed. Conclusions. Thus, the use of the hepatoprotector "Bicyclol" for 12 months ensures a decrease in cytolysis in the liver, is accompanied by a decrease in the severity of fibrosis, and in some patients - its reverse development. The use of the proposed prognostic scale makes it possible to assess the need for early appointment of antifibrotic therapy.