Hepatitis C virus RNA load in relapsed patients: week two of treatment is the best time to predict the complete response.
OBJECTIVE
An early virological response has been shown to be predictive of a sustained virological response to antiviral treatment in chronic hepatitis C infection. The aim of the study was to analyse viral kinetics during the first 6 weeks of treatment (interferon plus ribavirin) in 18 relapsed hepatitis C patients after a first course of interferon monotherapy.


METHODS
We studied 18 relapsed patients treated with interferon and ribavirin. A sustained virological response (negative HCV RNA measured by polymerase chain reaction 6 months after the end of therapy) was obtained in 12 patients. Samples were obtained before therapy and each week for 6 weeks during therapy; HCV RNA levels were determined using quantitative bDNA.


RESULTS
At the end of week two, a viral-load drop of more than 2.20 log was observed in all the 12 patients with a sustained virological response and in none of the six other patients. When we considered the median of the viral load reduction from baseline for each week of treatment, week two appeared to be the time point most predictive of a sustained viral response (positive predictive value 83%; negative predictive value 92%).


CONCLUSIONS
During treatment with interferon plus ribavirin in relapsed hepatitis C patients, viral kinetics showed that the second week of treatment appeared to be the time point most predictive of a sustained viral response.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012074:Remission Induction; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012254:Ribavirin