Factors predictive of response to interferon-α therapy in hepatitis C virus type 1b infection

✍ Scribed by Byung-Il Yeh; Kwang-Hyub Han; Hyean-Woo Lee; Joon Hyung Sohn; Wang-Shick Ryu; Do-Jun Yoon; Joonho Yoon; Hyun-Won Kim; In Deok Kong; Sei Jin Chang; Professor Jong-Whan Choi

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 141 KB
• Volume: 66
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0146-6615
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.2169

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Interferon‐α (IFN‐α) has been used to treat hepatitis C Virus (HCV)‐induced infection but has been effective in only about half of all patients. It is suggested that the different responses to IFN‐α treatment in HCV infection may be influenced by HCV genotypes, HCV RNA titer at the beginning of IFN‐α therapy, and the sequences of the interferon sensitivity determining region (ISDR). However, there have also been reports showing that these have no relation to an IFN‐α effect. In a previous study, it was found that the nucleotide sequence variation in the hypervariable region (HVR) 1 of the HCV could predict the effect of IFN‐α. In the present investigation, an attempt was made to determine the predictive factors of IFN‐α therapy. Twenty‐six patients with HCV infection were treated with IFN‐α. Among these, 13 patients recovered after 3 to 6 months of IFN‐α treatment, although the other 13 patients showed no response after 6 months of treatment with IFN‐α. In order to determine the predictive factors of IFN‐α therapy, the ALT levels, HCV genotypes, HCV serum titer, and the quasispecies of HVR 1 were compared between responders and non‐responders. It is suggested that the variation in the HVR 1 and HCV serum titer can be used to predict the effect of IFN‐α. J. Med. Virol. 66:481–187, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.