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Changes in these markers were compared among the patients who showed a sustained normalization of serum alanine transaminase (ALT) levels with and without eradication of serum hepatitis C virus RNA (complete responders and biochemical responders) and nonresponders [76, 86]. During and after interferon treatment, changes in these markers in the case of biochemical responders were nearly the same as those in the complete responders [76]. Over long-term observation after IFN therapy, both serum PIII-NP and IV-C levels significantly decreased, and further decreased in complete responders (CR) and partial responders (PR) (80 CHC pts) [86].  However, according to Ninomiya et al., more significant correlation was observed between fibrosis scores and serum levels of HA before IFN treatment than those between fibrosis scores, on the one hand, and peptide of type III procollagen (PIIIP; r = 0.531, P = 0.0004) or type IV collagen 7S domain (type IV-C; r = 0.241, P= 0.1062) on the other [74]. Other authors consider serum levels of PIIIP and IV-C to be of limited use in predicting the histological grade and stage of liver disease in patients with chronic HCV infection [87].