Response to therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C in hispanics compared to non-Hispanic whites.
OBJECTIVE
Ethnicity has been shown to play an important role in hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment response. However, few studies have examined the treatment response of Hispanics to combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. The aim of this study was to compare the treatment responses of Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites (NHW) treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin for chronic HCV.


METHODS
A retrospective review was conducted of all treatment-naive Hispanics and NHW with HCV who were treated at the University of New Mexico Hospital or Albuquerque VA Medical Center between October 2001 and January 2007. Genotype 1 patients received 48 weeks of therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin; genotype 2 and 3 patients received 24 weeks of treatment.


RESULTS
A total of 396 patients were included in the analysis, consisting of 179 Hispanics and 217 NHW. Overall, fewer Hispanics completed therapy compared with NHW (64.8% vs. 80.2%, P<0.001). In genotype 1 patients, early virologic response (EVR), end-of-treatment response (ETR), and sustained virologic response (SVR) did not differ significantly between the two ethnic groups. In genotype 2 and 3 patients, Hispanics had similar EVR compared with NHW (81.3% vs. 88.2%, P=0.25), but lower ETR (64.1% vs. 83.1%, P=0.01) and SVR (45.3% vs. 75.3%, P<0.001). After correcting for patients who prematurely discontinued therapy, genotype 2 and 3 Hispanics continued to have a reduced SVR compared with NHW (65.9% vs. 87.3%, P=0.014). The attenuated SVR in Hispanics was because of a higher relapse rate after achieving ETR compared with NHW (25% vs. 7.5%, P=0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Hispanics with genotype 2 and 3 HCV infection treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin are less likely to achieve SVR compared with NHW. The lower rate of SVR in Hispanic patients is, in part, because of an increased rate of relapse after ETR.
Yu
Stanley
S
Department of Gastroenterology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-0001, USA.
Douglass
Jeffrey M
JM
Qualls
Clifford
C
Arora
Sanjeev
S
Dunkelberg
Jeffrey C
JC
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000235:genetics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009516:New Mexico; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011336:Probability; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a