Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes and the influence of HCV subtype 1b on the progression of chronic hepatitis C in Korea: a single center experience.
OBJECTIVE
There is some controversy regarding whether or not hepatitis C virus (HCV) subtype 1b is more influential than non-1b subtypes on the progression of chronic hepatitis (CH) C to liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).


METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed 823 patients with chronic HCV infection, including 443 CH patients, 264 LC patients, and 116 HCC patients, who were HCV RNA positive and HBsAg negative. These patients had not received any prior treatment with either interferon alone or a combination of interferon and ribavirin.


RESULTS
HCV subtypes 1b (51.6%) and 2a/2c (39.5%) were the two most common genotypes. The proportions of genotypes 2 (2a/2c, 2b, and 2) and 3 were 45.8% and 1.1%, respectively. One case of genotype 4 was found. HCV subtype 1b (47.3%) was less common than the non-1b subtypes (52.7%) in non-LC patients, but its proportion (56.9%) was higher than that of non-1b subtypes (43.1%) in LC patients (P=0.006). The proportions of patients with HCV subtype 1b did not differ significantly between the LC (55.3%) and HCC (60.3%) groups. Older age, male gender, and the relative progression of liver damage (non-LC vs. compensated LC vs. decompensated LC) were significant risk factors for HCC, with odds ratios of 1.081 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.056-1.106), 5.749 (95% CI, 3.329-9.930), and 2.895 (95% CI, 2.183-3.840), respectively. HCV subtype 1b was not a significant risk factor for HCC (odds ratio, 1.423; 95% CI, 0.895-2.262).


CONCLUSIONS
HCV subtypes 1b and 2a/2c were the two most common HCV genotypes. HCV subtype 1b seemed to be more influential than non-1b subtypes on the progression of CH to LC, but not on the development of HCC from LC.
Department of Internal Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
Eun Ju
EJ
Cho
Su Hyeon
SH
Jeong
Byung Hoon
BH
Han
Sang Uk
SU
Lee
Byung Chul
BC
Yun
Eun Taek
ET
Park
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors