Incidence and associated factors of neutralizing anti-interferon antibodies among chronic hepatitis C patients treated with interferon in Taiwan.
BACKGROUND
The administration of interferon (IFN) could be complicated by the development of neutralizing anti-interferon antibodies (NA). This study evaluates the frequency and associated factors of NA among chronic hepatitis C patients treated with different IFNs.


METHODS
Ninety-five chronic hepatitis C patients were randomized to be treated with recombinant IFN-alpha2a (n = 28), IFN-alpha2b (n = 39) or lymphoblastoid IFN-alpha1 (n = 28) given intramuscularly, 3-6 million units, thrice weekly for 24 weeks. Serum samples collected before, during and after the cessation of treatment were checked for NA.


RESULTS
Three patients were withdrawn from treatment. All patients were negative for NA before treatment and 13 (14%) patients developed neutralizing antibodies. Of the 26 patients treated with IFN-alpha2a, 6 (23.1%) developed NA. whereas NA were detected in only 6 (15.4%) of 39 and 1 (3.7%) of 27 patients treated with IFN-alpha2b and IFN-alphanl, respectively. Age, gender, HCV genotype, ALT level, IFN total dose and liver histology were not associated with the development of NA. By using multivariate logistic regression it was shown that pretreatment HCV RNA level and IFN preparation were the two major factors related to the production of NA. The response of treatment was related to pretreatment viremia but not to the presence of NA.


CONCLUSIONS
The frequency of development of NA among Taiwanese patients with chronic hepatitis C might be related to different IFN preparations and pretreatment HCV RNA level. The response of treatment was related to pretreatment HCV RNA level but not to the presence of NA.
Hou
C
C
Dept of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical, University Hospital, Taiwan.
Chuang
W L
WL
Yu
M L
ML
Dai
C Y
CY
Chen
S C
SC
Lin
Z Y
ZY
Hsieh
M Y
MY
Wang
L Y
LY
Tsai
J F
JF
Chang
W Y
WY
D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000235:genetics; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013624:Taiwan; D014766:Viremia
D000906:Antibodies; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D007370:Interferon Type I; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins