title: Detection of hepatitis C virus in platelets: evaluating its relationship to antiviral therapy outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Detection of HCV has been documented in extrahepatic sites such as platelets. However, its influence on antiviral therapy outcome is unknown. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the detection of HCV in platelets from a cohort of 48 chronically HCV-infected patients and response to antiviral therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study comprised of 19 males and 29 females, mean age 54.9 +/- 8.72 years, followed-up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between August 2004 and October 2006. HCV-RNA was detected in serum and platelets (pre-treatment, end-of-treatment and 24 weeks after completion of therapy) by reverse transcription-nested polymerase chain reaction. Patients with genotype 1 or 4 were treated with peginterferon-alfa/ribavirin for 48 weeks, and patients with genotype 3 received interferon-alfa/ribavirin for 24 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline detection of HCV in platelets was found not to be related to therapy outcome. However, significant associations between detection rates of HCV in platelets and serum at the end-of-treatment (p = 0.0203), and 24 weeks after completion of therapy (p = 0.0016) were observed. Interestingly, HCV was detected in platelets from two patients with normal ALT who lost detectable serum HCV at the end-of-treatment and, after 24 weeks of followup, relapsed virologically in serum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that patients with HCV persistence in platelets by the end-of-treatment appear to be at an increased risk of recurrent HCV infection.
authors: Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. adilsonjoal@ig.com.br
authors: Adilson José
authors: AJ
authors: de Almeida
authors: Marilza
authors: M
authors: Campos-de-Magalhães
authors: Carlos Eduardo
authors: CE
authors: Brandão-Mello
authors: Rosane Vieira
authors: RV
authors: de Oliveira
authors: Márcia Paschoal
authors: MP
authors: do Espirito-Santo
authors: Clara Fumiko Tachibana
authors: CF
authors: Yoshida
authors: Elisabeth
authors: E
authors: Lampe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000821:virology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral