title: Virological predictors of response to retreatment in hepatitis C genotype 2 infected patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The impact of virological factors and interleukin-28B (IL-28B) genetic variants on retreatment of hepatitis C virus genotype 2 (HCV-2) treatment-experienced patients remains unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  On-treatment virological responses and IL-28B rs8099917 genotype were determined in 46 HCV-2 treatment-experienced patients (42 previous relapsers; four previous non-responders) retreated with 24-week peginterferon/ribavirin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty (87.0%) patients carried the rs8099917 TT genotype and 6 patients (13.0%) carried the TG/GG genotype. The sustained virological response (SVR; seronegativity of HCV RNA throughout 24 weeks of the post-treatment follow-up period) rate was 71.7%. Compared with previous non-responders, previous relapsers had a significantly higher SVR rate (78.6% vs. 0%, P = 0.004) and a lower relapse rate (17.5% vs. 100%, P = 0.04). All the previous non-responders were with the rs8099917 TT genotype. As for those who relapsed, treatment responses, including the rates of rapid virological response (RVR, 80.6% vs. 66.7%, P = 0.59), early virological response (EVR, 97.2% vs. 83.3%, P = 0.27), end-of-treatment virological response (97.2% vs. 83.3%, P = 0.27) and SVR (80.6% vs. 66.7%, P = 0.59) and relapse rate (17.1% vs. 20.0%, P = 1) did not differ significantly between patients with the rs8099917 TT and those with the non-TT genotype. Multivariate analysis revealed that the most important factor predictive of an SVR in the retreatment of HCV-2 was previous relapse; the only factor predictive of an SVR for previous relapsers was the achievement of an EVR. Compared with the achievement of a RVR, the attainment of an EVR was more accurate in predicting an SVR (88% vs. 74%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Peginterferon/ribavirin is effective in the retreatment of HCV-2 relapsers, especially among those who achieved an EVR.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chung-Feng
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chia-Yen
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Ming-Lun
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Jee-Fu
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ching-I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ming-Yen
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Zu-Yau
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shinn-Cherng
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Liang-Yen
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Suh-Hang Hank
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Juo
authors.forename: Wan-Long
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Yi-Ching
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Ming-Lung
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D019233:Retreatment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load; D000095022:Interferon Lambda
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins; C000624353:interferon-lambda, human; D000095022:Interferon Lambda