title: Patients younger than forty years old with hepatitis C virus genotype-1 chronic infection had treatment responses similar to genotype-2 infection and not related to interleukin-28B polymorphism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Age is one of the predictors for sustained virological response (SVR) when treating chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients with pegylated-interferon/ribavirin (PegIFN/RBV). However, the treatment responses of the young patients had not been analyzed before. Therefore, we conducted this study to investigate the treatment responses of CHC patients younger than 40 years old (y/o).
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed our prospective cohort of genotype 1 (GT1)- and genotype 2 (GT2)-CHC patients who received 24-week PegIFN/RBV treatment. We divided these patients into two groups according to their age younger or older than 40 y/o. Clinical parameters including viral responses and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of interleukin-28B (IL28B) had been analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In GT1- CHC patients, the rapid, complete early viral response rates and the SVR rate were significantly higher in patients younger than 40 y/o. In GT-1 CHC patients younger than 40 y/o, the SVR rate was similar to the GT2-CHC patients, either with high or low baseline viral load. As for the SVR predictors, in CHC patients younger than 40 y/o, only BMI but not the genotype of HCV, not baseline viral load, and not IL28B SNP was the predictor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GT1-CHC patients younger than 40 y/o had SVR rate similar to GT2-CHC patients. The IL28B polymorphism had no impact on the SVR rate in these young GT1-CHC patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepatology, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Linkou Medical Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan. chunyenlin@gmail.com
authors.forename: Chun-Yen
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: I-Shyan
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Sheen
authors.forename: Wen-Juei
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Jeng
authors.forename: Chang-Wen
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chien-Hao
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ji-Yih
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D062005:Biopsy, Large-Core Needle; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult; D000095022:Interferon Lambda
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin; C000624353:interferon-lambda, human; D000095022:Interferon Lambda; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a