Kinetics of hepatitis C virus RNA load during pegylated interferon plus ribavirin therapy in Treatment-naive Chinese patients.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the viral kinetics of Chinese CHC patients received pegylated interferon plus ribavirin and examine the impact of HCV genotypes and severity of liver disease.


METHODS
65 treatment-naove CHC patients who finished a 24-week therapy with peginterferon (alpha-2b (1.5 mcg/kg/week) plus ribavirin (1000-1200 mg /day) and 24 weeks of follow-up were enrolled. Hepatic fibrosis was graded by the METAVIR scoring system. Serum quantitative HCV RNA was determined by Versant HCV RNA 3.0 assay (Bayer Inc.).


RESULTS
Genotype non-1 patients responded quickly and a higher percentage of them achieved undetectable HCV RNA (< 615 IU/mL) at week 4 compared with genotype 1 patients (93% vs. 69%, p = 0.018). Degree of hepatic fibrosis significantly affected end-of-treatment and sustained response (SVR). For patients who did not achieve early virological response (EVR), the negative predictive value for SVR was 100%. In genotype 1 patients, undetectable HCV RNA by week 4 was a good marker to predict treatment response, with a positive predictive value of 84% and a negative predictive value of 82%.


CONCLUSIONS
EVR can be applied to Chinese patients as an early stopping rule. A 24-week duration of pegylated IFN/ribavirin might be adequate for genotype 1 patients who rapidly responded to therapy.
Chu
Chi-Jen
CJ
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, No-201, Sec 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei, Taiwan 11217, Republic of China. cjchu@vghtpe.gov.tw
Wang
Yuan-Jen
YJ
Hwang
Shinn-Jang
SJ
Lu
Rei-Hwa
RH
Chang
Full-Young
FY
Chang
Chiao-Yu
CY
Yang
Ya-Chun
YC
Lee
Shou-Dong
SD
D044466:Asian People; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b