title: Association of IL28B polymorphisms with virological response to peginterferon and ribavirin therapy in children and adolescents with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the current study was to find baseline predictive factors of response to therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV therapy) in children and adolescents with chronic hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  IL28B genotype and mutations in the core of hepatitis C virus (HCV) were analyzed in 30 patients treated with PEG-IFN/RBV for HCV infection. The initial rate of decrease in the viral load was assessed during the first 2 weeks of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IL28B major allele was seen more frequently in patients with sustained virologic response (SVR) than in non-SVR patients (P < 0.001). There was no difference between these two groups in frequency of Core 70 mutation. Among patients with genotype-1, SVR was achieved in more patients (P = 0.007) in the IL28B major allele group than in those in the minor allele group. The early decrements in the viral load (log/2 weeks) were 3.80 ± 0.86 in the genotype-2 major allele group, 1.82 ± 0.84 in the genotype-1 major allele group, and 0.41 ± 0.33 in the genotype-1 minor allele group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among pediatric patients with HCV infection the effectiveness of PEG-IFN/RBV therapy may be lower in the group with genotype-1 IL28B minor alleles than in other groups with IL28B major allele. Treatment strategy should be carefully implemented in patients with IL28B unfavorable type.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Osaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tajiri
authors.forename: Yasuhito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: Mitsuyoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Daiki
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Abukawa
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyoshi
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brooks
keywords: IL28B polymorphisms; hepatitis C; peginterferon; ribavirin; virological response