APRI as a predictor of early viral response in chronic hepatitis C patients.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to platelet ratio index (APRI) as a predictive factor of early viral response in chronic hepatitis C naive patients.


METHODS
We performed an ambispective case-control study. We enrolled chronic hepatitis C naive patients who were evaluated to start therapy with PEGylated interferon alpha-2b (1.5 mug/kg per week) and ribavirin (> 75 kg: 1200 mg and < 75 kg: 1000 mg). Patients were allocated into two groups, group 1: Hepatitis C patients with early viral response (EVR), group 2: Patients without EVR. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated to assess the relationship between each risk factor and the EVR in both groups.


RESULTS
During the study, 80 patients were analyzed, 45 retrospectively and 35 prospectively. The mean +/- SD age of our subjects was 42.9 +/- 12 years; weight 70 kg (+/- 11.19), AST 64.6 IU/mL (+/- 48.74), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 76.3 IU/mL (+/- 63.08) and platelets 209 000 mill/mm(3) (+/- 84 429). Fifty-five (68.8%) were genotype 1 and 25 (31.3%) were genotype 2 or 3; the mean hepatitis C virus RNA viral load was 2 269 061 IU/mL (+/- 7 220 266). In the univariate analysis, APRI was not associated with EVR [OR 0.61 (95% CI 0.229-1.655, P = 0.33)], and the absence of EVR was only associated with genotype 1 [OR 0.28 (95% CI 0.08-0.94, P = 0.034)]. After adjustment in a logistic regression model, genotype 1 remains significant.


CONCLUSIONS
APRI was not a predictor of EVR in chronic hepatitis C; Genotype 1 was the only predictive factor associated with the absence of EVR in our patients.
Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital de Infectología, La Raza, National Medical Center, IMSS, Mexico City 02990, México. jamatamarin@yahoo.com.mx
José A
JA
Mata-Marín
José L
JL
Fuentes-Allen
Jesús
J
Gaytán-Martínez
Bulmaro
B
Manjarrez-Téllez
Alberto
A
Chaparro-Sánchez
Carla I
CI
Arroyo-Anduiza
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004796:Clinical Enzyme Tests; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010976:Platelet Count; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b