title: Kinetics of HCV viremia in kidney transplant recipients during and after alpha-interferon therapy.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Virologie, CHU Purpan, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Izopet
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rostaing
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ton-That
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dubois
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cazabat
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Charlet
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sayada
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duffaut
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Durand
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Puel
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: 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