| Study, Year (Reference) |
Patients Analyzed (n) and Duration of Followup | Interventions | Long-Term Outcomes | Internal Validity | Applicability to Screening |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nishiguchi, 2001129 | 90 Mean 8.7 y |
a) INF-alfa 6 MU 3 times weekly for 24 wk b) Symptomatic treatment |
a vs. b Hepatocellular carcinoma: 27% vs. 73% (P<0.001); adjusted RR 0.256 [95% CI, 0.125-0.522]) Death: 11% vs. 58% (P<0.001); adjusted RR 0.135 [95% CI, 0.049-0.372]) Adjusted RR for progression to Child B cirrhosis: 0.250 (0.124-0.505) |
Fair Not blinded |
Unclear Required elevated ALT and liver biopsy consistent with active cirrhosis; incidence of hepatocellular cancer and death much higher in untreated Japanese populations than in the United States |
| Bernardinello, 1999130 | 61 Up to 5 y |
a) Intramuscular INF-beta 6 MU 3 times weekly for 6 mo then 3 M 3 times weekly for 6 mo b) No treatment |
a vs. b (not statistically significant) Cumulative probability of decompensation: 24% vs. 35% Hepatocellular carcinoma: 5.3 % (2 cases) vs. 4.3% (1 case) |
Fair Attrition, crossovers, and contamination not reported; possibility of differential loss to followup not reported |
Unclear Required elevated ALT and liver biopsy findings consistent with active cirrhosis |
* Numbers in square brackets are 95% CIs. | |||||