title: Can the Abbott RealTime hepatitis C virus assay be used to predict therapeutic outcomes in hepatitis C virus-infected patients undergoing triple therapy?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We compared the predictive abilities of the Abbott Real Time hepatitis C virus (HCV) assay (ART) with those of standard serum HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) detection methods in patients undergoing triple therapy, which involves treatment with a protease inhibitor combined with pegylated interferon and ribavirin.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 28 patients underwent triple therapy. The hepatitis C virus ribonucleic acid (HCV RNA) level of each patient was measured at weeks 0, 4, 8, and 12 after the initiation of therapy using the Roche COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan HCV assay version 1.0 (CAP/CTM v1.0) and ART.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At week 8 after the initiation of therapy, the sustained virological response (SVR) rate among patients who tested negative and positive for HCV RNA using CAP/CTM v1.0, was 80.0% (20/25) and 33.3% (1/3), and using ART, it was 91.3% (21/23) and 0.0% (0/5), respectively. Although at week 8, the predictive capability of CAP/CTM v1.0 was 78.5%, ART was found to be a more accurate predictor of future SVR status with a rate of 92.9%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that the presence or absence of serum HCV RNA, evaluated using ART at week 8 after the initiation of therapy, may be useful for predicting therapeutic outcomes in patients receiving triple therapy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan. c2okuse@marianna-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Chiaki
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Okuse
authors.forename: Tsunamasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Kotaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsunaga
authors.forename: Ryuta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shigefuku
authors.forename: Nobuhiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hattori
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hiraishi
authors.forename: Yasunobu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Yohei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.forename: Toshiya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shima
authors.forename: Kazunari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakahara
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yasuda
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yotsuyanagi
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koike
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: Michihiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D009842:Oligopeptides; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C486464:telaprevir; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b