Ultra-rapid virological response, young age, low γ-GT/ALT-ratio, and absence of steatosis identify a subgroup of HCV Genotype 3 patients who achieve SVR with IFN-α(2a) monotherapy

The standard treatment regimen for chronic HCV genotype 3 (HCV-G3) hepatitis consists of PEGylated interferon-α (IFN-α) and ribavirin at varying doses ranging from 400 to 1,200 mg and results in response rates of 80%. However, this therapy has substantial side-effects including anemia, is teratogeni...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Digestive diseases and sciences 2011-11, Vol.56 (11), p.3296
Main Authors: Amanzada, Ahmad, Goralczyk, Armin, Moriconi, Federico, Blaschke, Martina, Schaefer, Inga-Marie, van Thiel, David, Mihm, Sabine, Ramadori, Giuliano
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Age Factors
Alanine Transaminase - blood
Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use
Drug Therapy, Combination
Fatty Liver - pathology
Fatty Liver - virology
Female
gamma-Glutamyltransferase - blood
Genotype
Hepacivirus - genetics
Hepatitis C, Chronic - blood
Hepatitis C, Chronic - drug therapy
Hepatitis C, Chronic - pathology
Hepatitis C, Chronic - virology
Humans
Interferon-alpha - therapeutic use
Liver - pathology
Male
Middle Aged
Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
Recombinant Proteins - therapeutic use
Retrospective Studies
Ribavirin - therapeutic use
Young Adult
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Summary:The standard treatment regimen for chronic HCV genotype 3 (HCV-G3) hepatitis consists of PEGylated interferon-α (IFN-α) and ribavirin at varying doses ranging from 400 to 1,200 mg and results in response rates of 80%. However, this therapy has substantial side-effects including anemia, is teratogenic, and costly. To reduce the side-effects of therapy, the role of monotherapy consisting of only IFN-α was investigated. A retrospective analysis of individual therapy courses of HCV-G3-infected patients who were treated with IFN-α(2a) monotherapy or a combination therapy with attention to the treatment outcome and the presence of IL28B rs12979860 and IL28B rs8099917 single-nucleotide polymorphism genotypes was performed. Conventional prognostic features in each case were assessed as well. In the study, 15/30 (50%) of patients treated with IFN-α(2a) monotherapy and 32/36 (89%) treated with combination therapy achieved a sustained virological response (SVR). In addition, 7/11 (64%) of those treated initially with monotherapy and subsequently with combination therapy achieved an SVR. An "ultra-rapid" virological response occurring within 2 weeks of initiation of therapy (p = 0.005), young age (
ISSN:1573-2568
DOI:10.1007/s10620-011-1933-2