title: IL28B polymorphisms influence stage of fibrosis and spontaneous or interferon-induced viral clearance in thalassemia patients with hepatitis C virus infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polymorphisms in the interleukin-28B are important determinants in the spontaneous and drug-induced control of hepatitis C virus infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed the association of rs8099917 and rs12979860 polymorphisms with spontaneous viral clearance, severity of liver fibrosis, and response to interferon-monotherapy in 245 thalassemia major patients with hepatitis C virus infection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-eight patients (40%) had a spontaneous viral clearance while 147 patients (60%) developed a chronic infection. Spontaneous viral clearance was more frequent among patients with the T/T genotype of rs8099917 polymorphism (OR 2.130; P = 0.008) or C/C genotype of rs12979860 polymorphism (OR 2.425; P = 0.001). During observation, 131 patients with chronic infection underwent a liver biopsy; age (OR 1.058; P = 0.01) G/T or G/G genotypes of rs8099917 polymorphism (OR 3.962; P = 0.001), and C/T or T/T genotypes of rs12979860 polymorphism (OR 3.494; P = 0.005) were associated with severe liver fibrosis, independent of liver iron concentration. Finally, T/T genotype of rs8099917 polymorphism (OR 3.014; P = 0.03) or C/C genotype of rs12979860 polymorphism (OR 3.285; P = 0.01), age (OR 0.902; P = 0.001), female gender (OR 3.418; P = 0.01) and 2 or 3 virus C genotypes (OR 4.700; P=0.007) were independently associated with sustained virological response in 114 patients treated with alpha-interferon. Conclusions Polymorphisms in the interleukin-28B are associated with the control of hepatitis C virus infection in thalassemia major patients, and understanding allelic patterns has an important role in determining prognosis and therapeutic management.
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Gastroenterologia ed Epatologia, DiBiMIS, University of Palermo, Piazza delle Cliniche 2, 90127 Palermo, Italy. vito.dimarco@tin.it
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Marco
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bronte
authors.forename: Vincenza
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Calvaruso
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Capra
authors.forename: Zelia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Borsellino
authors.forename: Aurelio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maggio
authors.forename: Maria Concetta
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Renda
authors.forename: Lorella
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pitrolo
authors.forename: Maria Carmela
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lo Pinto
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fiorenza
authors.forename: Calogera
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gerardi
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grimaudo
authors.forename: Antonietta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Cristina
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Levrero
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Craxì
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007369:Interferon Inducers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D011379:Prognosis; D019562:Viral Load / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology; D000095022:Interferon Lambda
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007369:Interferon Inducers; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins; C000624353:interferon-lambda, human; D000095022:Interferon Lambda