THE ROLE OF CELL THERAPY IN THE COMPREHENSIVE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC HEPATITIS C-RELATED LIVER CIRRHOSIS.

BACKGROUND: Despite the high efficacy of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, a considerable proportion of patients continue to exhibit significant structural liver damage, including advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis. Therefore, the search for additional therapeutic approaches aimed at enhancing liver regeneration and improving hepatic functional status remains highly relevant. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of fetal stem hepatocyte transplantation as part of a comprehensive treatment strategy for liver cirrhosis associated with chronic hepatitis C. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective comparative study was conducted involving 106 patients with HCV-related liver cirrhosis. Patients were divided into two comparable groups of 53 individuals each. The main group received direct-acting antiviral therapy combined with fetal stem hepatocyte transplantation, whereas the control group received antiviral therapy alone. All participants underwent comprehensive clinical, laboratory, and instrumental examinations, including transient liver elastography. Treatment efficacy was assessed using changes in Child-Pugh and MELD scores over a 12-month follow-up period. Statistical analysis was performed using parametric and non-parametric methods. RESULTS: Baseline Child-Pugh and MELD scores did not differ significantly between the groups. After 12 months of follow-up, the Child-Pugh score was significantly lower in the main group compared with the control group (7.11±0.91 vs. 7.81±1.13 points, respectively; p=0.002). Similarly, the MELD score was significantly lower in the main group than in the control group (17.9±2.11 vs. 19.1±2.21 points, respectively; p=0.004). Repeated-measures analysis of variance demonstrated a statistically significant effect of both follow-up duration and treatment modality on Child-Pugh (η²=35.9% and η²=25.0%, respectively) and MELD scores (η²=23.3% and η²=18.2%, respectively; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The addition of fetal stem hepatocyte transplantation to standard antiviral therapy contributes to a more pronounced improvement in liver functional status in patients with HCV-related cirrhosis compared with antiviral therapy alone. These findings support the potential role of cell-based therapies as a promising adjunctive treatment option for liver cirrhosis and highlight the need for further studies to evaluate their long-term efficacy and safety.