title: Various predictors of sustained virologic response in different age groups of patients with genotype-1 chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Age is one of the sustained virologic response (SVR) predictors for genotype-1 chronic hepatitis C patients treated with pegylated interferon-α/ribavirin. However, variation of SVR predictors in different age groups was not explored before. We therefore conducted this study for investigating this issue.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed 265 genotype-1 chronic hepatitis C patients who received pegylated interferon-α/ribavirin treatment. These patients were divided into 3 age groups. Clinical parameters including the genotype of rs12979860 were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SVR rate was highest in patients younger than 45 years and lowest in patients older than 65 years even through propensity score matching analysis. As for rapid virologic response (RVR) predictors, genotype of rs12979860 was the predictor for the patients younger than 45 years and patients aged between 45 and 65 years, but no RVR predictor was found for patients older than 65 years. As for the SVR predictors, HbA1c, baseline viral load, and RVR but not genotype of rs12979860 were the predictors in patients younger than 45 years. For patients between 45 and 65 years, the predictors for SVR were liver fibrosis, genotype of rs12979860, and RVR. For patients older than 65 years, RVR was the only predictor for SVR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SVR predictors are various in different age groups. RVR is the SVR predictor for all age groups, but the genotype of rs12979860 is the SVR predictor only for patients with age between 45 and 65 years but not younger or older patients.
authors.affiliation: Departments of *Gastroenterology and Hepatology ‡Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Linkou Medical Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital †School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chun-Yen
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: I-Shyan
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Sheen
authors.forename: Ji-Yih
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chang-Wen
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chien-Hao
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Wen-Juei
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Jeng
authors.forename: Wei-Ting
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a