LEADING ARTICLE

Fibrosis progression in chronic hepatitis C virus infection

G W McCaughan¹, J George²

¹ NHMRC Clinical Centre of Research Excellence in Outcomes for Chronic Liver Disease, and AW Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Centenary Research Institute, University of Sydney, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
² NHMRC Clinical Centre of Research Excellence in Outcomes for Chronic Liver Disease, and Storr Liver Unit, Millennium Research Centre, University of Sydney, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Professor G W McCaughan
AW Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Centenary Research Institute, Missenden Rd, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown NSW 2050, Australia; g.mccaughan{at}centenary.usyd.edu.au

Chronic hepatitis C virus infection is typically characterised by slowly progressive hepatic fibrosis. However, it is recognised that some patients do not progress while others rapidly develop significant fibrosis. Here, we review studies that have assessed factors that could influence this rate of fibrotic progression.

Keywords: hepatitis C virus; fibrosis

Abbreviations: HCV, hepatitis C virus; HSC, hepatic stellate cell; IR, insulin resistance; CHC, chronic hepatitis C; TNF, tumour necrosis factor; PPAR, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor; IFN-, interferon ; TGF-ß, transforming growth factor ß

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