title: Interferon-alpha therapy for individuals with normal serum alanine aminotransferase levels before treatment.
abstract: While interferon (IFN) therapy is approved for patients with chronic hepatitis C infection, the effectiveness of IFN therapy for anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive individuals with normal ALT levels remains poorly understood. Twenty-five individuals (M:F = 9:16; age = 51.8 +/- 15.1 years) who showed a normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level (< 30 IU/L) at least 6 months before treatment and were positive for both anti-HCV and serum HCV-RNA by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were studied. Of these, 16 received IFN therapy for 24 weeks (780 million units total IFN-alpha 2b) and nine were followed for 12 months as controls. The serum HCV-RNA level was determined by bDNA assay and HCV genotype was detected by enzyme immunoassay. All were shown to have chronic hepatitis by liver biopsy. Six (37.5%) of 16 individuals lost serum HCV-RNA by RT-PCR 6 months after cessation of therapy (complete response; CR), while the remaining individuals were defined as non-responders (NR). Of the six individuals in the CR group, five had HCV type 2 infection, compared with none of 10 individuals in the NR group (P < 0.01). There was a trend towards a lower pretreatment viraemia level in the CR group than in the NR group. These data suggest that IFN therapy for individuals with HCV type 2 infection and normal ALT levels was effective.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagoya City University Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Orito
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mizokami
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: K I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Ohba
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mizuno
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iijima
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nemoto
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nukuta
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004796:Clinical Enzyme Tests; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000410:Alanine Transaminase