Figure 1.

Study protocol for response-guided therapy. Durations of treatments were determined depending on the virological responses to peginterferon-α and ribavirin. If the serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA became undetectable within 12 weeks (w), the treatment was stopped at 48 weeks. If the serum HCV RNA disappeared between 13 to 24 weeks after treatment, the duration was extended up to 72 weeks. Both cases were considered to meet the standard of care.