title: Viral kinetics in hepatitis C virus: special patient populations.
abstract: The evolution in therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection to the more recent use of peginterferons in combination with ribavirin has dramatically increased the sustained virological response (SVR) rates versus standard interferon/ ribavirin combination therapy. However, although peginterferon and ribavirin therapy has markedly improved treatment responses overall, factors such as high viral load, genotype 1 infection, obesity, HIV co-infection and African American race continue to pose challenges to optimizing SVR rates. Application of mathematical models may be helpful in understanding why these groups and/or individuals appear to be resistant to interferon (IFN)-based therapy. This article focuses on the viral kinetics and viral kinetic differences among patients infected with HCV genotypes 1 and 2, obese and nonobese patients, and African Americans and Whites.
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Layden-Almer
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Layden
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004337:Drug Carriers; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004337:Drug Carriers; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a