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  • Title: Host and viral characteristics affecting the response to interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C.
    Author: Laurent-Puig P, Dussaix E, Altman C, Laval C, Stuyver L, Wilber JC, Babany G, Chopineau S, Bedossa P, Brocheriou I.
    Journal: Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol; 1995 Apr; 7(4):335-40. PubMed ID: 7541297.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVE: To define parameters determined before and after 4 weeks of interferon therapy (3 MU three times per week for 24 weeks) which could be reliable predictors of a response to therapy. PATIENTS: Thirty-four patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection were investigated prospectively. METHODS: A complete response was defined as the normalization of serum alanine aminotransferase levels (ALT) at the end of treatment. The genotype of HCV was determined and the level of HCV-RNA was quantitated both before and after 4 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: After 4 weeks, 16 out of 20 responders [95% confidence interval (CI) 54-94%] and two out of 14 non-responders (95% CI 2-44%) normalized their ALT levels (P = 0.0002). The prevalence of genotype 1b was significantly (P < 0.04) higher among non-responders (eight out of 10; 95% CI 44-92%) than in responders (four out of 18; 95% CI 4-40%). Before treatment, the viraemia determined by branched DNA was significantly lower in responders than in non-responders (46.4 versus 116 x 10(5) eq virus/ml). After 4 weeks of treatment, the level of viraemia in responders was still significantly lower than that in non-responders (22.8 versus 66 x 10(5) eq virus/ml). In responders, a significant decrease in the level of viraemia was observed after 4 weeks of treatment. CONCLUSION: In a stepwise regression analysis only age and the normalization of ALT levels after 4 weeks of treatment were predictive of response to interferon at the end of treatment.
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