Oxidative status in chronic hepatitis C: the influence of antiviral therapy and prognostic value of serum hydroperoxide assay.
The effect of alpha-interferon (alpha-IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) treatment on oxidative status in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is unknown.


OBJECTIVE
To study the time course of oxidative status in patients with CHC during alpha-IFN and RBV administration, and to evaluate the role of oxidative status in order to predict the therapeutic response.


METHODS
Fifty one patients with CHC were studied. All received a combination of alpha-IFN and RBV for 6 or 12 months in relation to the type of response. The hydroperoxides concentration in serum test samples by D-ROM test was measured in all of the patients before therapy. In 27 patients, hydroperoxides were also measured during the treatment and during the 12 subsequent months.


RESULTS
Cross-sectional analysis demonstrates that patients with a successive long-term response had a lower basal serum hydroperoxide concentration than non-responders (280 +/- 40.8 vs 337 +/- 83 CARR Units, p < 0.05). This resulted to be an independent factor predictive of long-term response in the multi-varied analysis. Longitudinal observation on 27 patients showed that the mean hydroperoxide concentration decreased significantly during treatment (T0 329 +/- 79.2 vs T12 272 +/- 34.5 CARR Units) and that the decrease in the mean values was mainly due to variations in the relapsers group.


CONCLUSIONS
Normal basal hydroperoxide concentration helps to predict long-term response to combination therapy. The D-ROM test may be used for screening patients before treatment.
Morisco
Filomena
F
Department of Food Science, University of Naples Federico II, Parco Gussone 80055, Portici, Italy. filomena.morisco@unina.it
Verde
Veronica
V
Fogliano
Vincenzo
V
Ritieni
Alberto
A
Marmo
Riccardo
R
De Luise
Giusy
G
Tuccillo
Concetta
C
Caporaso
Nicola
N
D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000378:metabolism; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010545:Peroxides / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D010545:Peroxides; D012254:Ribavirin