[Comparison of hepatitis C viral RNA and core antigen kinetics in the therapeutic follow up of hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus co-infected patients, treated by bitherapy interferon-ribavirin, within the framework of RIBAVIC protocol].
OBJECTIVE
The RIBAVIC protocol, established by ANRS in 2001 and closed in 2003, compared the efficacy and the tolerance of two bitherapy anti-Hepatitis C Virus for HIV-HCV co-infected patients: IFN-ribavirin and PEG-IFN-ribavirin for 48 weeks. Two hundred patients from protocol were tested for hepatitis C virus core antigen, to study this viral marker kinetics, before and under treatment, in comparison with hepatitis C virus RNA evolution.


METHODS
The available samples for the 204 patients of our study were tested for RNA detection (COBAS AMPLICOR v2.0, Roche Diagnostics) and quantification (VERSANT HCV RNA v3.0, Bayer Diagnostics) and for quantification of core antigen (Ortho trak-C Assay, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics). The viral kinetics were established from samples quantified at D0, W2, W4, W12, W24, W48, W52, W72 (W =week), according to virological response assessed by PCR, six month after the end of treatment (non responders, sustained responders, relapsers et breakthroughs).


RESULTS
We obtained, for each type of response, similar evolution of both viral markers. Trak-C assay show to be enough sensitive, with similar results whatever genotype of hepatitis C virus. The Pearson's correlation is excellent (R =0.94; P <0.001). The intergenotype correlation is correct too, whatever HCV genotype (1, 2, 3, 4).


CONCLUSIONS
The HCV core antigen quantification by trak-C assay is a new tool for the follow-up of the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C and HIV co-infected.
Pivert
A
A
Laboratoire de bactériologie virologie hygiène hospitalière, CHU de Angers, France. adeline.pivert@caramail.com
Payan
C
C
Lunel
F
F
D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; D007372:Interferons; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b