title: The role of alpha-glutathione S-transferase in the monitoring of hemodialysis patients with hepatitis C virus infection undergoing high-dose interferon-alpha-2b therapy.
abstract: The study aimed to evaluate the behavior of alpha-glutathione S-transferase (alpha-GST) in the serum of hemodialysis patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection following treatment with high-dose IFN-alpha-2b. Ten patients with detected anti-HCV antibodies and HCV RNA by RT-PCR were selected and treated with high-dose interferon (IFN)-alpha-2b, 10 million units s.c. daily for 2 weeks followed by 3 times per week for 6 additional weeks. Blood samples were obtained from these patients at baseline for plasma alpha-GST and hepatic aminotransferases. Patients were monitored with weekly blood counts and monthly liver enzymes. Biochemical (normal alpha-GST and ALT) and virologic (negative HCV RNA by RT-PCR) responses were observed in 3 (30%) of the 10 patients. At the end of the follow-up (follow-up duration 44 weeks), 3 patients demonstrated long-term biological and virologic responses and 7 had relapses. In the nonresponders plasma AST and ALT approached normal levels on some occasions despite persistent viral RNA. In contrast to transaminases alpha-GST remained distinctly elevated in nonresponders and provided a more clear distinction between the responders and nonresponders. In conclusion, plasma alpha-GST, as a sensitive and reliable marker of response, may have a role in the monitoring of hemodialyzed patients undergoing IFN-alpha-2b therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Hemodialysis and Transplantation, Türkiye Yüksek Ihtisas Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boran
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cetin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000097:blood*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000628:therapy*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007527:Isoenzymes; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase