Quantitative determination of hepatitis C core antigen in therapy monitoring for chronic hepatitis C.
The correlation and kinetics of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA and HCV core antigen levels in chronic hepatitis C patients treated with pegylated interferon + ribavirin were evaluated in order to envision a combined use of the two assays in therapy monitoring. HCV core antigen levels by a chemiluminescent immunoassay (Abbott ARCHITECT) and HCV-RNA levels by branched DNA (bDNA) or real-time PCR have been evaluated on plasma specimens from 32 patients treated for chronic hepatitis C. An early virological response (undetectable levels of HCV-RNA 4 weeks after start of treatment) was found in 10/23 subjects (43.5%) followed up for 5 months or more. The response was linked to the HCV genotype (20% in genotype 1B vs. 61.5% in other genotypes; p < 0.05). HCV RNA and HCV antigen showed a good correlation (r = 0.814); HCV antigen was still detectable in 3 samples with undetectable (<615 IU/ml) RNA by bDNA, while no differences in clinical sensitivity were recorded in comparison with real-time PCR. These findings suggest that HCV-RNA and HCV antigen may be used at different time points in order to tailor therapy monitoring to individual needs.
Moscato
Giovanna A
GA
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Pisa University Cisanello Hospital, Pisa, Italy.
Giannelli
Gianluigi
G
Grandi
Barbara
B
Pieri
Daniela
D
Marsi
Ombretta
O
Guarducci
Isabella
I
Batini
Irene
I
Altomare
Emanuele
E
Antonaci
Salvatore
S
Capria
Alfonso
A
Pellegrini
Giovanni
G
Sacco
Rodolfo
R
D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000097:blood*
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; C069130:nucleocapsid protein, Hepatitis C virus; D012254:Ribavirin; D007372:Interferons