title: Interleukin 28B polymorphism predicts interferon plus ribavirin treatment outcome in patients with hepatitis C virus-related liver cirrhosis: A multicenter retrospective study in Japan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the efficacy of interferon plus ribavirin and examined whether interleukin 28B (IL28B) polymorphism influenced treatment outcome in Japanese patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related liver cirrhosis (LC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen collaborating centers provided details of 261 patients with HCV-related LC undergoing treatment with interferon plus ribavirin. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to establish which factors predicted treatment outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-four patients (32.2%) achieved a sustained virological response (SVR). SVR rates were 21.6% (41/190) in patients with HCV genotype 1 with high viral load (G1H) and 60.6% (43/71) in patients with non-G1H. In patients with non-G1H, treatment outcome was effective irrespective of IL28B polymorphism. In those with G1H, SVR was achieved in 27.1% of patients with the IL28B rs8099917 TT allele compared with 8.8% of those with the TG/GG alleles (P = 0.004). In patients with G1H having TT allele, treatments longer than 48 weeks achieved significantly higher SVR rates than treatments less than 48 weeks (34.6% vs 16.4%, P = 0.042). In patients with G1H having TG/GG alleles, treatments longer than 72 weeks achieved significantly higher SVR rates than treatments less than 72 weeks (37.5% vs 4.1%, P = 0.010).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interferon plus ribavirin treatment in Japanese patients with non-G1H HCV-related LC was more effective than those with G1H and not influenced by IL28B polymorphism. In those with G1H, IL28B polymorphism may predict SVR and guide treatment duration: SVR rates were higher in those with the TT allele treated for more than 48 weeks and those with the TG/GG alleles treated for more than 72 weeks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Japan; Division of Advanced Clinical Research for Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shakado
authors.forename: Shotaro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakisaka
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okanoue
authors.forename: Kazuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chayama
authors.forename: Namiki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Izumi
authors.forename: Joji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Toyoda
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ido
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takehara
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hiasa
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seike
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: Hiromitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kumada
keywords: cirrhosis; hepatitis C virus; interferon; interleukin 28B; ribavirin