Assessment of hepatitis C virus RNA and genotype from 6807 patients with chronic hepatitis C in the United States.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA status and HCV genotype have become important tools in the diagnosis and monitoring of therapy in chronic HCV infection. To establish a database with respect to HCV genotype and serum HCV RNA concentrations in chronic hepatitis C patients in the United States, we analysed 6807 chronic hepatitis C patients who had HCV RNA and HCV genotype tests conducted at a central laboratory. The HCV RNA concentration cut-off for the lower 25th percentile of this population (low titre) was 0.9 x 106 copies ml-1. The median HCV RNA concentration was 3.5 x 106 copies ml-1 and the cut-off for the upper 25th percentile (high titre) was 5 x 106 copies ml-1. Male patients had a median HCV RNA concentration of 3.9 x 106 copies ml-1, which was significantly higher than the median HCV RNA level for females (2.75 x 106 copies ml-1; P < 0.001). HCV genotype 1 was detected in 73% of patients; genotype 2 in 14%; genotype 3 in 8%; mixed genotype in 4%; and genotypes 4, 5 and 6 with a frequency of < 1%. Patients from the Northeast, Southeast and Midwest had significantly (P < 0.001) more infections with genotype 1 than patients from the Western and Southern regions. African-American patients were more likely to be infected with genotype 1 when compared with Caucasian, Hispanic or Asian Pacific Islanders (P < 0.001). Patients infected with HCV genotype 1 and mixed HCV genotypes had significantly higher serum HCV RNA concentrations when compared with HCV genotypes 2 and 3 (P < 0.001 for all comparisons).
Blatt
L M
LM
National Genetics Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Mutchnick
M G
MG
Tong
M J
MJ
Klion
F M
FM
Lebovics
E
E
Freilich
B
B
Bach
N
N
Smith
C
C
Herrera
J
J
Tobias
H
H
Conrad
A
A
Schmid
P
P
McHutchison
J G
JG
D044383:Black People; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D014481:United States; D019562:Viral Load; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American
D012367:RNA, Viral