title: Cytokines as predictors for sustained response and as markers for immunomodulation in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  (i) To characterize serum cytokine levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin 6 (IL 6), IL 8 and IL 12 in non-cirrhotic patients with chronic hepatitis C, (ii) to correlate the levels of these cytokines with the degree of the disease at the basal level, (iii) to correlate these levels with the response to therapy, (iv) to compare profiles of cytokines in monotherapy (MT) versus combination therapy (CT), and (v) to compare the immunomodulatory effects of MT versus CT.
  
  
  METHODS
  47 patients were enrolled in the study. The controls were 120 volunteers (recruited from students and staff) that did not present HCV RNA positive and were not known to suffer any other metabolic disease. Thirty patients formed the other group of controls, with alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Serum cytokine levels were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sustained responders (SRs) have basal values much lower than relapsed responders (RRs) and non-responders (NRs) regardless of the therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cytokines can be used as non-invasive markers for sustained response and as monitors for the outcome of therapy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Pharmacology, E-240, Sunnybrook and Women's Health Sciences Centre, Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, M4N 3M5, Canada. manuela@sten.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: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Malkiewicz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Akremi
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Shear
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Asselah
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boyer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martinot-Peignoux
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jacobson-Brown
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Le Breton
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Le Guludec
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suneja
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marcellin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007378:Interleukins; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D012254:Ribavirin; D007372:Interferons; D000410:Alanine Transaminase