About the Authors

Floor A. C. Berden

Affiliation Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands

Robert J. de Knegt

Affiliation Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Hans Blokzijl

Affiliation Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University medical center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands

Sjoerd D. Kuiken

Affiliation Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis, location West, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Karel J. L. van Erpecum

Affiliation Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University medical center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands

Sophie B. Willemse

Affiliation Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Jan den Hollander

Affiliation Department of Internal Medicine, Maasstad hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Marit G. A. van Vonderen

Affiliation Department of Internal Medicine, Medical center Leeuwarden, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands

Pieter Friederich

Affiliation Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Catharina hospital, Eindhoven, the Netherlands

Bart van Hoek

Affiliation Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

Carin M. J. van Nieuwkerk

Affiliation Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, VU university medical center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Joost P. H. Drenth

joostphdrenth@cs.com

Affiliation Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands

Wietske Kievit

Affiliation Department for Health Evidence, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands

Competing Interests

I have read the journal’s policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: F. Berden: no conflict; R. de Knegt has served as a an advisory board member for Gilead, Janssen, BMS, AbbVie, Roche and Norgine, and has received research funding from Janssen, BMS, AbbVie, and Roche; H. Blokzijl: no conflict; S. Kuiken: no conflict; K. van Erpecum has served as an HCV advisory board member for AbbVie, BMS, Gilead and Janssen Cilag, and as a consultant for AbbVie, and has received research funding from Janssen Cilag, Gilead, and AbbVie; S. Willemse has served as a speaker and an advisory board member for AbbVie, Gilead, BMS, Merck, Roche, Janssen, and has received research funding from AbbVie, Gilead, Merck/MSD, and Roche; J. den Hollander: no conflict; M. van Vonderen: no conflict; P. Friederich: no conflict; B. van Hoek has served as a an advisory board member for Gilead, Merck, AbbVie, Norgine, Falk, and Janssen; C. van Nieuwkerk: no conflict; J. Drenth has served as a an advisory board member for Gilead, Janssen, BMS, and AbbVie, and has received research funding from Janssen, AbbVie (this study), dr. Falk, Ipsen, Novartis, Zambon, and Merck; Dr. Kievit: no conflict. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and material.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization: FACB JPHD WK. Data curation: FACB WK. Formal analysis: FACB WK. Funding acquisition: JPHD. Investigation: FACB. Methodology: FACB JPHD WK. Project administration: FACB. Resources: FACB RJdK HB SDK KJLvE SBW JdH MGAvV PF BvH CMJvN JPHD. Supervision: JPHD WK. Validation: FACB WK. Writing – original draft: FACB WK JPHD. Writing – review & editing: FACB RJdK HB SDK KJLvE SBW JdH MGAvV PF BvH CMJvN JPHD WK.