title: Host and viral characteristics affecting the response to interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C.
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.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Bicetre Hospital, Le Kremlin Bicetre, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Laurent-Puig
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dussaix
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Altman
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Laval
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stuyver
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wilber
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Babany
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chopineau
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bedossa
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brocheriou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000201:enzymology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D007372:Interferons; D000410:Alanine Transaminase