title: Clinical Utility of a New Automated Hepatitis C Virus Core Antigen Assay for Prediction of Treatment Response in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus core antigen (HCV Ag) is a recently developed marker of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We investigated the clinical utility of the new HCV Ag assay for prediction of treatment response in HCV infection. We analyzed serum from 92 patients with HCV infection who had been treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. HCV Ag levels were determined at baseline in all enrolled patients and at week 4 in 15 patients. Baseline HCV Ag levels showed good correlations with HCV RNA (r = 0.79, P < 0.001). Mean HCV Ag levels at baseline were significantly lower in patients with a sustained virologic response (SVR) than in those with a non SVR (relapse plus non responder) based on HCV RNA analysis (2.8 log₁₀fmol/L vs. 3.27 log₁₀fmol/L, P = 0.023). Monitoring of the viral kinetics by determination of HCV RNA and HCV Ag levels resulted in similarly shaped curves. Patients with undetectable HCV Ag levels at week 4 had a 92.3% probability of achieving SVR based on HCV RNA assay results. The HCV Ag assay may be used as a supplement for predicting treatment response in HCV infection, but not as an alternative to the HCV RNA assay.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.|Department of Internal Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, Korea.
authors: Mi Na
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5381-230X
authors: MN
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Hyon Suk
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5662-7740
authors: HS
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Ja Kyung
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5025-6846
authors: JK
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Beom Kyung
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5363-2496
authors: BK
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Seung Up
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9658-8050
authors: SU
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Jun Yong
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6324-2224
authors: JY
authors: Park
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Do Young
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8327-3439
authors: do Y
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Sang Hoon
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3629-4624
authors: SH
authors: Ahn
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. gihankhys@yuhs.ac.
authors: Kwang Hyub
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3960-6539
authors: KH
authors: Han
mesh_terms: D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001331:Automation; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012008:Recurrence; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a
keywords: Chronic Hepatitis C; HCV Core Antigen; HCV RNA; Treatment Response