Nonresponse to interferon monotherapy in HCV-related chronic hepatitis: results of retreatment and prognostic factors.
At present two of the most relevant problems of the therapy of HCV-related chronic active hepatitis are the retreatment of nonresponders to interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) and the definition of a prognostic index of response. We treated 44 patients who previously were nonresponders to IFN-alpha alone with IFN-alpha plus ribavirin for 12 months. Among the tests performed, we included the serum level of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) at the beginning of the trial and at 3 months thereafter. We obtained 56.81% end of treatment responses and 47.72% sustained responses. A decrease of at least 10% of the sICAM-1 serum level during the first 3 months of treatment strongly correlated to the results of therapy while the usual important prognostic factors (HCV genotype and viral load) did not show this relation.
Medicina Interna A, Policlinico GB Rossi, University of Verona, Italy.
Franco
F
Capra
Elena
E
De Maria
Massimo
M
Franchini
Luigi
L
Marchiori
Ulrich
U
Thalheimer
Italo
I
Vantini
D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001706:Biopsy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D012254:Ribavirin