title: Efficacy of peginterferon and ribavirin is associated with the IL28B gene in Korean patients with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sustained virologic response (SVR) for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) may differ with ethnicity due to differences in genetic traits. This study evaluated the efficacy of peginterferon and ribavirin, and the association between IL28B genotypes and the treatment efficacy in Korean CHC patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective cohort study using data from medical records. Eighty-five CHC patients were eligible for assessment of the efficacy of antiviral therapy, and 47 patients were available for an IL28B genetic study, which was performed using the Multiplex tetra-primer PCR method for rs12979860.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, the early virologic response rate was 87.1%: 84.9% in HCV genotype 1 and 90.6% in genotype 2. The overall end-of-treatment virologic response rate was 81.2%: 75.5% in genotype 1 and 90.6% in genotype 2. The overall SVR rate was 81.2%: 75.5% in genotype 1 and 90.6% in genotype 2. For rs12979860, the frequencies of polymorphisms were 89% for the CC type, 11% for the CT type, and 0% for the TT type. Their overall SVR rate was 87% (39/47): 90.5% (38/42) for the CC type and 20% (1/5) for the CT type. For genotype 1, SVR rates were 88% (21/24) for the CC type and 0% (0/4) for the CT type. Multivariate analysis revealed that the IL28B-CC type was a good predictor for SVR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The SVR of the combination therapy in Koreans was higher than that observed in Western countries. This finding might be attributable to the high prevalence of IL28B-CC type among Koreans, which may be a good predictor of SVR.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, Korea.
authors: Seok Hoo
authors: SH
authors: Jeong
authors: Young Kul
authors: YK
authors: Jung
authors: Jae Won
authors: JW
authors: Yang
authors: Sang Jin
authors: SJ
authors: Park
authors: Jong Woo
authors: JW
authors: Kim
authors: Oh Sang
authors: OS
authors: Kwon
authors: Yun Soo
authors: YS
authors: Kim
authors: Duck Joo
authors: DJ
authors: Choi
authors: Ju Hyun
authors: JH
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; 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
keywords: Chronic hepatitis C; IL28B; Korea; Peginterferon; Ribavirin