At the end of therapy, PIIIP had a predictive value in the distinction of sustained response from non-responsiveness, and was suggested as a useful noninvasive method to evaluate serially fibrogenesis in chronic hepatitis C treated with IFN [83]. On contrary, according to Mitsuda et al., serum PIIINP levels decreased significantly during and after treatment in all treated groups independently of treatment outcome, while being unchanged in untreated patients [84]. Histological examination 12 months after interferon was completed demonstrated that hepatic fibrosis improved in sustained responders and was unchanged in transient and non-responders, but progressed in untreated patients.