Lipoprotein(a) concentration in patients with chronic active hepatitis C before and after interferon treatment

• Published in: Clinical therapeutics 1995-07, Vol.17 (4), p.721-728
• Main Authors: Malaguarnera, Mariano, Giugno, Ignazio, Trovato, Barbara Adriana, Panebianco, Maria Pia, Siciliano, Rocco, Ruello, Pasqualina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antiviral agents; Antiviral Agents - adverse effects; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Female; Hepatitis C - blood; Hepatitis C - therapy; Hepatitis, Chronic - blood; Hepatitis, Chronic - therapy; Humans; Interferon Type I - adverse effects; Interferon Type I - therapeutic use; Lipoprotein(a) - blood; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Recombinant Proteins
• ISSN: 0149-2918; 1879-114X
• DOI: 10.1016/0149-2918(95)80048-4

Patients with chronic active hepatitis C show low lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) values. We studied the changes in Lp(a) levels caused by treatment with interferon in 24 patients (9 men and 15 women; mean age, 56.8 ± 7.3 years) affected by chronic active hepatitis C. Fifteen healthy subjects (6 men and 9 women; mean age, 57.4 ± 10.3 years) were used as controls. All of the patients with chronic hepatitis C were treated with intramuscular interferon, 3 million units 3 times per week for 6 months. These patients had lower baseline serum Lp(a) concentrations than the controls (4.8 ± 3.8 mg/dL vs 13.4 ± 10.3 mg/dL, respectively; P = 0.0007). A significant increase in Lp(a) levels (6.6 ± 7.2 mg/dL; P = 0.05) occurred after 6 months of treatment in patients with chronic active hepatitis C. Only complete responders presented a significant increase in Lp(a) values ( P = 0.01). We believe that increased Lp(a) levels represent an expression of improved liver functions.