title: Gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase in predicting sustained virological response in individuals with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Serum gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) levels often increase in chronic hepatitis C. We aimed to identify whether GGT levels can predict sustained virological response (SVR) in patients with chronic hepatitis C and to investigate other potential predictive factors associated with SVR in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin at a single center.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated 112 consecutive patients with histologically proven chronic hepatitis C who were treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. As potential predictors of SVR to combination therapy, we analyzed age, gender, body mass index, pretreatment GGT and alanine transaminase levels, diabetes mellitus, receiving of anti-viral therapy before beginning combination therapy, viral load, and liver histology by use of a multivariate logistic regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SVR to combination therapy was seen in 57.2% of the patients. Variables associated with lower rates of sustained response were liver steatosis (p=0.026), diabetes mellitus (p=0.027), receiving anti-viral therapy before beginning combination therapy (p=0.016), higher GGT levels before therapy (>50IU/mL, p<0.001), and advanced fibrosis stage (p=0.017). On logistic regression analysis, the only independent predictor of SVR was the GGT level before therapy (p=0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low serum levels of GGT before treatment are associated with higher rates of SVR in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastoenterology, Diskapi Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. scoban72@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Sahin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coban
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Idilman
authors.forename: Esra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Erden
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tüzün
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b