Cytokine balance is restored as patient‐reported outcomes improve in patients recovering from chronic hepatitis C

Background & Aims Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) has a negative impact on patient‐reported outcomes (PROs). Although most CHC patients who achieve sustained virologic response (SVR) show an improvement in PRO scores, some continue to experience impairment in PROs. The aim was to investigate if serum biomarkers (selected neurotransmitters and cytokines) are associated with changes in PROs in CHC patients who achieve SVR. Methods Data were utilized from a prospective clinical trial of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir fixed‐dose combination. Chronic genotype 1 HCV subjects without cirrhosis (N = 40, age: 45.3 ± 11.5, 48% male, 90% white) were treated for 12 weeks open label with 97% achieving SVR24. PRO questionnaires included Short Form‐36 (SF‐36), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Beck Depression Inventory‐II (BDI‐II), Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire‐HCV (CLDQ‐HCV) and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy‐Fatigue (FACIT‐F). Sera were used for measurement of selected neurotransmitters and cytokines. Data were collected at baseline and follow‐up week 24. Results Changes in physical health correlated with changes in several biomarkers. BDNF negatively correlated with SF‐36 physical health summary score (rho = −0.34, P