IFNA1 and Ascites: Although 2 studies showed a potential benefit of IFN-based treatments for improving liver histology (Nishiguchi et al. & HALT-C)15, 18, and 1 study (EPIC3) demonstrated a decreasing incidence of liver cirrhosis complications, including ascites, encephalopathy, and varices bleeding, in CHC patients receiving IFN-based treatments5.