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.
Capra
Franco
F
Medicina Interna A, Policlinico GB Rossi, University of Verona, Italy.
De Maria
Elena
E
Franchini
Massimo
M
Marchiori
Luigi
L
Thalheimer
Ulrich
U
Vantini
Italo
I
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