Kinetics of HCV viremia in kidney transplant recipients during and after alpha-interferon therapy.
Fifteen kidney transplant recipients with chronic hepatitis C were given 3 million units recombinant alpha2b-interferon for 142+/-35 days. There were significant decreases in hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA 1 month after the initiation of treatment (p < 0.01), and at the end of treatment (p < 0.05). HCV RNA was undetectable by PCR analysis during treatment in 5 patients. But HCV RNA reappeared in all patients 1 month after the cessation of therapy, and the level of viremia returned to baseline. While all patients had normalized alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities at the end of therapy, 11 experienced a relapse during the follow-up period (1 year). There was a correlation between the amount of HCV RNA at the end of treatment and the time of relapse. Serum IgM against core protein of HCV were detected in 7/15 patients. Anti-core IgM remained detectable during treatment and afterwards. There was no correlation between IgM status and other virological parameters, or ALT activity.
Izopet
J
J
Laboratoire de Virologie, CHU Purpan, Toulouse, France.
Rostaing
L
L
Ton-That
H
H
Dubois
M
M
Cazabat
M
M
Charlet
J P
JP
Sayada
C
C
Duffaut
M
M
Durand
D
D
Puel
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000378:metabolism; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014766:Viremia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000410:Alanine Transaminase