title: The treatment of HCV in patients with haemoglobinopathy in Kurdistan Region, Iraq: a single centre experience.
abstract: Various variables that might influence the rapid and sustained virological response to recombinant PEG-IFN-α-2a were explored in Iraqi HCV-infected patients with haemoglobinopathy. Forty-three patients were evaluated for the relationship between rapid virological response (RVR), IL-28B polymorphism, viral load, liver enzyme levels, blood group, ultrasound findings, or HCV genotype and the sustained virological response (SVR) achievement. The overall RVR was 55·81% while the overall SVR was 53·49%. SVR in patients that achieved RVR was 82·61% (P = 0·0004). A significant association was found between initial alanine transaminase levels and viral load with SVR achievement (P = 0·025) and (P = 0·004), respectively. Thirty-two (74%) out of 43 of our samples were host genotyped at the IL-28B locus as CC, a significant association was found between CC group and SVR achievement (P = 0·04). Of our samples, 23/43 (53%) were typed as HCV genotype 4, 10/43 (23%) as genotype 1, 9/43 (20·9%) as genotype 3 and 1/43 (2·3%) as genotype 2. A significant association was found between genotype 3 and SVR achievement (P = 0·006). Multivariate analysis showed that only RVR achievement independently associated with SVR in the Iraqi population (P = 0·00). These results can be used to classify the patients requiring the more expensive new direct-acting antiviral drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine,School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences,University of Duhok,Kurdistan Region,Iraq.
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Hussein
authors.affiliation: Fatih University,Faculty of Science,Department of Biology,Istanbul,Turkey.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tunjel
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Biotechnology Research Laboratory,Department of Environmental Sciences,Fatima Jinnah Women University,Rawalpindi,Pakistan.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Basharat
authors.affiliation: Department of Health,Infection Control Unit,Duhok,Iraq.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taha
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology,University Hospital,Queen's Medical Centre,Nottingham,UK.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Irving
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006453:Hemoglobinopathies / Q000150:complications*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics; D007493:Iraq; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000072230:Sustained Virologic Response; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult; D000095022:Interferon Lambda
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C000624353:interferon-lambda, human; D000095022:Interferon Lambda; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a
keywords: HCV; Haemoglobinopathy; Iraqi population; RVR; SVR