[The efficacy of interferon alfa treatment in chronic hepatitis C in relation to the serum concentration of RNA-HCV and the viral genotype].
BACKGROUND
To determinate the viral variables (viremia and genotype) and patients variables (route and years of infection, histology, etc) related with response to the treatment with alpha intefferon in patients with chronic hepatitis C.


METHODS
We have studied 50 patients with chronic hepatitis C that received an intefferon treatment during a year. In all them it was accomplished a hepatic biopsy before of the beginning of treatment and it was studied the viral load by quantitative PCR (Monitor, Roche) at the beginning of treatment, at four weeks and at the end of treatment. It was determined the HCV genotype by method INNO-LIPA (Boehringer Inghelheim).


RESULTS
8 patients (16%) achieved a complete sustained response during all the follow-up period (13.8 + 1.6 months); 8 patients responded but relapsed when the intefferon was interrupted and 34 patients not responded. The responders had lower viremia (p < 0.032) and HCV RNA negative at the fourth treatment week (p < 0.0082). The genotype 1b was the most frequent, the one which was presenting a smaller percentage of response and it was associated with a higher viremia. Cirrhotic patients were the worse responders. Ex-lDAs were better responders than the others groups, however this difference did not show statistics meaning.


CONCLUSIONS
A low pretreatment HCV-RNA level seems to be indicative of a sustained response to IFN, Whereas a high level seems to be indicative of a non sustained response to IFN. Negativization of HCV-RNA at week four is a good indicator of response to intefferon. Genotype 1b is the most frequent and the worse responder. To have 1b genotype, high pretreatment HCV-RNA level and to be viremic at four treatment seems to be indicative of non response.
Hermida
M
M
Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud I, Universidad de La Coruña.
Castro
A
A
López
S
S
Vega
P
P
Pedreira
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012074:Remission Induction; D013997:Time Factors; D014766:Viremia / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins