alpha-Interferon in the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis: effects on fibrogenesis serum markers.
Forty patients with chronic viral hepatitis or active cirrhosis (33 anti-HCV positive) entered a recombinant human alpha 2A interferon randomized trial. Twenty-one subjects were treated with 6 million units (MU) three times per week for 6 months. Nineteen were not treated. Six months later in 12 patients of the treated group (60% of the evaluable 20) with normalized serum aminotransferases levels (responders), fibrogenesis serum markers (NPIIIP and laminin) were significantly lower than baseline. In the untreated patients and in non-responders NPIIIP and laminin were unchanged. Semi quantitative histological evaluation (allotting scores for inflammation, necrosis and fibrosis) confirmed a significant improvement of necro-inflammation in the responders. These data suggest that alpha-IFN treatment may decrease stimuli for fibrogenesis by reducing liver inflammation and necrosis, thus preventing evolution to cirrhosis.
Capra
F
F
Istituto di Clinica Medica, dell'Università di Verona, Italy.
Casaril
M
M
Gabrielli
G B
GB
Tognella
P
P
Rizzi
A
A
Dolci
L
L
Colombari
R
R
Mezzelani
P
P
Corrocher
R
R
De Sandre
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007797:Laminin / Q000097:blood*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011347:Procollagen / Q000097:blood*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
D015415:Biomarkers; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007797:Laminin; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011347:Procollagen; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C041876:procollagen Type III-N-terminal peptide