Genotype, serum level of HCV-RNA and response to interferon-alpha treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

OBJECTIVE

Since only a small proportion of patients with chronic hepatitis C benefit from interferon therapy, we assessed the viral factors such as HCV genotype and the level of viraemia for prediction of interferon response.

METHODS

HCV genotype and serum levels of HCV-RNA were determined in 24 patients before, during and after interferon treatment.

RESULTS

Pre-treatment serum levels of HCV-RNA were significantly lower in patients with normalization of serum ALT and disappearance of serum HCV-RNA upon therapy than in patients with persistent abnormal ALT and/or serum HCV-RNA positivity. Sole infection with HCV genotype 1b was associated with a significantly higher pre-treatment serum HCV-RNA level than infection with genotype other than 1b or mixed types.

CONCLUSIONS

HCV genotype and pre-treatment serum HCV-RNA levels are indeed important predictors for response to interferon treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C.