title: Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) as an independent predictive factor of sustained virologic response in patients with hepatitis C treated with interferon-alpha and ribavirin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recently, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) has been investigated as a predictive factor for therapy response in hepatitis C patients, but so far its value in pretreatment screening has not been established. Therefore, this study aimed at evaluating GGT as an independent predictive factor for the response to treatment with interferon-alpha and ribavirin in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Naive chronic hepatitis C patients undergoing a 6-month follow-up after interferon-alpha and ribavirin therapy had their sustained virologic response (SVR) analyzed according to age, sex, body mass index, GGT levels, genotype, and liver histology by use of a multivariate logistic regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 211 patients studied with a mean age of 48+/-10 years, 125 (59%) were males. Overweight was detected in 47% of patients. Genotype 1 was detected in 141 (75%) of the 187 patients tested. Cirrhosis was present in 67 (32%). A high pretreatment GGT level was observed in 134 (63%). SVR was obtained in 84 (40%) patients. In the final logistic regression model, the variables independently associated with SVR were GGT (P<0.001), genotype (P<0.001), and liver histology (P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A normal GGT level is an independent predictive factor for SVR in HCV-infected patients and should be considered for pretreatment screening.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Department of Internal Medicine, Hepatology Division, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. crisvillela@hucff.ufrj.br
authors.forename: Cristiane Alves
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Villela-Nogueira
authors.forename: Renata Mello
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: Jorge André
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: de Segadas Soares
authors.forename: Henrique Sérgio Moraes
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Coelho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012254:Ribavirin; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase