title: Predictors of sustained response to alpha interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To utilize cytokine levels to predict sustained response (SR) to alpha interferon (IFN alpha) therapy in chronic hepatitis C patients, and to determine the relationship between serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin (IL) IL 6, IL 8, IL 12, transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta 1) and the degree of liver damage as reflected by traditional markers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum cytokine levels were assessed using ELISA in 18 patients included in a controlled clinical trial of IFN alpha.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 18 patients, 27% were sustained responders (SR), 27% were response and relapse responders (RR), and 46% were non-responders (NR). Multivariate analysis showed that a low serum TNF alpha level and high serum IL 8 levels were independent factors associated with SR to IFN alpha therapy. Serum TNF alpha level highly correlated with viral load and genotype predictive values (p < 0.001). Therapy lowered the IL 6 and IL 12 profile. TGF beta 1 levels in serum are positively correlated with fibrinogenesis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IFN alpha therapy modulates immune response to hepatitis C virus, contributing to sustained response.
authors.affiliation: Sunnybrook and Women's Health Sciences Centre, Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. manuela@srcl.sunnybrook.utoronto.ca
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Neuman
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Benhamou
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martinot
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boyer
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Shear
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Malkiewicz
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suneja
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marcellin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007378:Interleukins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta