title: Clinicopathological predictors to predict sustained viral response rates in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains suboptimal, with the current pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin combination therapy providing sustained viral response (SVR) rates of 54 - 63%. The aim of this study was to identify clinical, laboratory and histological findings that can predict non-response to this treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of patients who had completed PEG-IFN and ribavirin therapy for chronic HCV infection between December 2002 and November 2005 and had undergone a liver biopsy prior to starting treatment were retrospectively reviewed. Data on various clinical and biochemical parameters were extracted and liver biopsy slides were reviewed by a pathologist who was blinded to the clinical and laboratory findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 67 patients studied (mean [SD] age 46.3 [6.3] years; 36 men), 42/57 (74%) had an early viral response (EVR) and 37/64 (58%) had an SVR. On univariate analysis, absence of EVR (p=0.0002), non-white race (p=0.008), AST/ALT ratio > or = 1.0 (p=0.008), INR > or = 1.0 (p=0.02) and presence of steatosis > or = 5% on liver biopsy (p=0.03) were associated with lack of SVR. In multivariate analysis, all of these except INR were significant independent predictors of SVR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Absence of EVR, non-white race, AST/ALT ratio > or = 1.0 and presence of steatosis > or = 5% on liver biopsy are independent predictors of absence of SVR in patients with chronic HCV infection receiving PEG-IFN and ribavirin combination treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Missouri, Kansas City, USA. jnachnani@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Jagdish S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Nachnani
authors.forename: Raja
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gidwani
authors.forename: Esmat
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sadeddin
authors.forename: Wendell K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Clarkston
authors.forename: Rusell
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fiorella
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Alba
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a