title: Prognostic effect of human leukocyte antigen class I and II alleles on chronic hepatitis C patients treated by pegylated interferon-alfa plus ribavirin in Taiwan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the influence of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I and II alleles on the response in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients receiving combination therapy with pegylated interferon-alfa and ribavirin.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and six CHC patients who accomplished combination treatment were enrolled. Sixty-seven patients achieved sustained virologic response (SVR). HLA-A, -B, -C, -DR, and -DQ loci were determined by sequence-based genotyping. The effects of virologic variables and HLA alleles on SVR were evaluated by logistic regressions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Univariate analyses showed that SVR was significantly associated with low pre-treatment HCV RNA levels, HCV genotype non-1, high pre-treatment ALT levels, a significant decline of ALT levels from baseline to week 4, and the low body mass index. Among HLA class I and II alleles, the occurrence of SVR was significantly associated with lack of HLA-B60 and existence of HLA-A33 in univariate analyses (OR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.14-0.77; p = 0.01; OR, 2.16; 95% CI, 0.86-5.45; p = 0.30 with a trend, respectively). Multivariate analyses revealed that HLA-A33 significantly favored SVR after adjusted for potential confounders (OR, 7.86; 95% CI, 1.43-43.30; p value after Holm's procedure = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HLA-A33 is associated with the achievement of SVR in Taiwanese CHC patients receiving combination therapy with pegylated interferon-alfa plus ribavirin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi General Hospital, Chia-Yi, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kuo-Chih
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Chin-Kuo
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: An-Liang
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Yu-Hsi
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Chang-An
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Ning-Sheng
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011379:Prognosis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b