Hla-Cw7 allele as predictor of favorable therapeutic response to interferon-alpha in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the association between human leukocyte antigens (HLA) class I and therapeutic response to interferon-alpha in Croatian patients with chronic hepatitis C.


METHODS
HLA-A, -B, and -C genotyping was performed in 55 patients with sustained virological response and in 57 patients without sustained virological response to interferon-alpha therapy. Patients were treated in the period from 1998-2001 with interferon-alpha at a dose of 3 million units three times a week. Patients who became negative for hepatitis C virus RNA after 12 weeks of therapy completed 48 weeks of therapy.


RESULTS
There was no association between therapeutic outcome and frequency of HLA-A, as well as of HLA-B alleles. HLA-Cw7 was significantly more frequent in patients with than those without sustained virological response (27.0% vs 6.7%; P=0.011).


CONCLUSIONS
In Croatian patients with chronic hepatitis C, HLA-Cw7 is the predictor of sustained virological response to interferon-alpha therapy.
Ivić
Ivo
I
Department for Infectious Diseases, Split University Hospital, Split, Croatia. iivic@krizine.kbsplit.hr
Bradarić
Nikola
N
Puizina-Ivić
Neira
N
Ledina
Dragan
D
Luksić
Boris
B
Martinić
Roko
R
D000483:Alleles; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006680:HLA Antigens; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral