title: IL28B polymorphisms predict the virological response to standard therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 4 infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Genome-wide association studies have recently revealed that several single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the interleukin (IL) 28B genes can predict the sustained virological response (SVR) to pegylated interferon-α2a/b plus ribavirin in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-genotype 1 patients. However, data for patients infected with HCV genotype 4 (HCV-G4) are limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We analyzed the association of IL28B SNPs (hematological, biochemical, virological, and pathological factors) with SVR in the HCV-G4 monoinfected cohort of patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred twenty-nine treatment-naïve HCV-G4 patients undergoing treatment were recruited from three tertiary care centers in Saudi Arabia. Five IL28B SNPs (rs12979860, rs12980275, rs8105790, rs8099917, and rs72486680) were identified by polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing. SVR was statistically correlated with various clinical, histopathological, virological, and genetic parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SVR was significantly associated with the CC and AA alleles of rs12979860 (p = 0.008) and rs12980275 (p = 0.004), respectively. Moreover, albumin levels (p = 0.002) and platelet count (p = 0.039) showed significant differences in the SVR and No SVR groups. On multivariate analysis, the CC allele of rs12979860 (OR, 2.89; 95 % CI 1.6-6.2, p = 0.006) and albumin levels (OR, 1.2; 95 % CI 1.1-1.4, p = 0.001) independently predicted SVR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IL28B polymorphism (CC allele of rs12979860) predicts the sustained response to antiviral therapy in HCV-G4.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ; Liver Disease Research Centre, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ayman A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Abdo
authors.forename: Mohammed N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Al-Ahdal
authors.forename: Saira S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Khalid
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Helmy
authors.forename: Faisal M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Sanai
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alswat
authors.forename: Waleed
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Al-Hamoudi
authors.forename: Safiyya M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Hamad I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Al-Ashgar
authors.forename: Abdallah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Mdani
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Albenmousa
authors.forename: Faleh Z
authors.initials: FZ
authors.lastname: Al Faleh
authors.forename: Mashael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Anazi
authors.forename: Nisreen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khalaf
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Qahtani
keywords: Genetics; Genotype 4; Hepatitis C; Interleukin-28B; Single nucleotide polymorphism; Sustained virological response; Treatment