title: Association of a single nucleotide polymorphism near the interleukin-28B gene with response to hepatitis C therapy in Asian patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A single nucleotide polymorphism near the interleukin-28B (IL28B) gene has been shown to predict hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment response. We aim to determine the role of the IL28B genotype in Asian patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 118 patients (all Korean, 55 patients with genotype 1 infection and 63 patients with genotype 2 infection) were consecutively enrolled and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sustained virological response (SVR) rate was 74% (87/118), while 26 patients (22%) relapsed and five patients were non-responders (4%). For rs8099917, the frequencies of major homozygotes (TT), heterozygotes (GT), and minor homozygotes (GG) were 0.85, 0.14 and 0.01, respectively. Of the 55 patients with HCV genotype 1 infection, the SVR rate was 67% and 44% (P = 0.19) and the non-response rate was 2% and 22% (P = 0.015) for the major allele and minor or hetero allele, respectively. Of the 63 patients with HCV genotype 2 infection, the SVR rate was 80% and 100% (P = 0.13) and the non-response rate was 4% and 0% (P = 0.55) for major allele and hetero allele, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The IL28B genotype may help identify non-responding patients in HCV genotype 1, but not in HCV genotype 2. Because of the high frequency of favorable alleles and the low frequency of non-response, the IL28B polymorphism may play a smaller role in Asian patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Sinn
authors.forename: Yu J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seung-Tae
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Geum-Youn
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Gwak
authors.forename: Moon S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Joon H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kwang C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Byung C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Seung W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Paik
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D006579:Heterozygote; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010597:Pharmacogenetics; D010641:Phenotype; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012008:Recurrence; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load; D000095022:Interferon Lambda
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin; C000624353:interferon-lambda, human; D000095022:Interferon Lambda; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a