1. Volume 126, Issue 7, Pages 1740-1749 (June 2004)
Long-term benefit of interferon α therapy of chronic hepatitis D: regression of advanced hepatic fibrosis 
Patrizia Farci, Tania Roskams, Luchino Chessa, Giovanna Peddis, Anna Paola Mazzoleni, Rosetta Scioscia, Giancarlo Serra, Maria Eliana Lai, Maurizio Loy, Luciano Caruso, Valeer DeSmet, Robert H. Purcell, Angelo Balestrieri 
Gastroenterology 
Volume 126, Issue 7, Pages (June 2004)
DOI: /j.gastro

2. Figure 1
Cumulative survival until liver transplantation or death among patients treated with 9 million units of interferon or 3 million units and in untreated controls. Survival was significantly longer in the high-dose group than in controls (P = 0.003) or in the low-dose group (P = 0.019). Survival did not differ significantly between the low-dose group and the controls (P = 0.328).
Gastroenterology  , DOI: ( /j.gastro )

3. Figure 2
Mean (± SE) change in serum HDV RNA levels from baseline in patients treated with interferon (9 million units or 3 million units) and untreated controls. Data shown are the changes from baseline to the end of treatment (A ) and to the last evaluation (B), according to the treatment regimen. Changes in viral load from baseline were statistically significant only in the high-dose group, both at the end of treatment and at the last evaluation. The HDV titer was not determined in 5 patients at the end of treatment (1 treated with 9 million units, 2 with 3 million units, and 2 untreated controls) and in 4 patients at the end of the long-term follow-up (1 treated with 9 million units, 2 with 3 million units, and 1 untreated control).
Gastroenterology  , DOI: ( /j.gastro )

4. Figure 3
Biochemical, histologic, serologic, and molecular profiles of a representative case of a patient with chronic hepatitis D treated with 9 million units of interferon α-2a, who had a sustained biochemical response. The gray area indicates the values for ALT. The red horizontal bar indicates positive assays for serum HDV RNA by nested PCR assay, and the number inside the bar represents the genome equivalent titer of HDV determined by testing 10-fold serial dilutions of the extracted RNA in the reverse transcriptase-PCR assay. The numbers indicate the titer of serum HBV DNA quantified using Amplicor HBV Monitor test, with a detection limit of 400 copies per mL. The yellow line indicates the reciprocal titers of IgM anti-HD, defined as the highest dilution with a positive result. The arrows indicate the time and results of liver biopsies.
Gastroenterology  , DOI: ( /j.gastro )

5. Figure 4
Liver histology (score of the histological activity grade and fibrosis stage) and serum HDV RNA levels in 10 patients treated with 9 million units of interferon, who underwent a liver biopsy at the end of the long-term follow-up, divided according to their biochemical response. A shows the intensity of the necroinflammatory lesions measured by grade of activity. B shows the stage of fibrosis. C shows the levels of serum HDV replication, determined as described in the legend of Figure 1; a logarithmic scale is used to show the titer of HDV RNA. The second liver biopsy was performed after a mean of 12.4 ± (SD) 1.4 years and 11.3 ± 0.2 years in sustained responders and nonresponders, respectively, from the initial biopsy.
Gastroenterology  , DOI: ( /j.gastro )

6. Figure 5
Photomicrographs of liver biopsy specimens obtained from a patient with chronic hepatitis D before and 12.8 years after the completion of treatment with 9 million units of interferon α-2a. A shows a specimen obtained before treatment. An active micronodular cirrhosis with small nodules surrounded by wide fibrous septa is seen (picrosirius stain, 25×). B shows a specimen obtained from the same patient 12.8 years after the completion of therapy. Inflammatory activity and fibrosis can no longer be identified in the needle biopsy (picrosirius stain, 25×). Serum HDV RNA, as measured by nested PCR, became undetectable 13 months prior to the last liver biopsy and HBsAg 14 months after the last liver biopsy; all liver enzymes were normal, and the hepatic function was dramatically improved. At the time of the last liver biopsy, there were no clinical features of portal hypertension: there was no evidence of esophageal or gastric varices at endoscopy, the diameter of the portal vein and of the spleen were normal by ultrasound, and the platelet count was normal.
Gastroenterology  , DOI: ( /j.gastro )