The low sustained virologic response (SVR) rates observed in postmenopausal women with chronic HCV infection might be associated with reduced oestrogen secretion.

Furusyo et al. randomly assigned 123 postmenopausal women with HCV infection to receive raloxifene hydrochloride (a selective oestrogen receptor modulator) plus standard of care (SOC) treatment, or SOC alone. 24 weeks after treatment, the SVR rate was significantly higher in the women who received the combined therapy than in those who received SOC alone.