Alfa interferon treatment of chronic hepatitis C: Influence of the amount and subtypes of HCV RNA

In this study, we assessed the effectiveness of interferon treatment in 31 hemophiliacs with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Interferon alfa-2a (3 MU three times weekly) was administered for 6 months. Response was assessed by both serial alanine transaminase (ALT) and HCV RNA levels measured by a sensitive semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. HCV genotype was determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), and evidence of changing genotypes during interferon therapy was sought. Severity of liver disease was assessed by both noninvasive and invasive methods, including laparoscopic liver inspection and biopsy. Sustained normalization of ALT levels occurred in eight patients (28%), and seven (24%) became nonviremic as assessed by PCR (<80 HCV/mL). Responders universally cleared HCV RNA within 2 months of starting interferon. Genotype 3a was associated with a favorable response to interferon. No evidence was found for a change in circulating genotype in patients who failed to respond to interferon or who relapsed. This study confirms that response rates to interferon are low in hemophiliacs as compared with other groups with chronic HCV infection. We have also demonstrated that virus load measurement over the first 8 to 12 weeks of treatment is an extremely useful method to identify responders at an early stage.

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Usefulness of HCV-RNA assays in efficacy evaluation of interferon treatment for chronic hepatitis C: Amplicor™ HCV assay and branched DNA probe assay

Journal of Infection ◽

10.1016/s0163-4453(97)94339-5 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 34 (3) ◽

pp. 249-255 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

H. Nomura ◽

Y. Kimura ◽

N. Rikimaru ◽

H. Tada ◽

O. Okamoto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Hepatitis ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Chronic Hepatitis C ◽

Dna Probe ◽

Hcv Rna ◽

Interferon Treatment ◽

Efficacy Evaluation ◽

Branched Dna ◽

Probe Assay

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HCV-RNA quantitation and response to interferon treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C

Hepatology ◽

10.1016/0270-9139(93)92496-m ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. A243

Author(s):

M MARTINOTPEIGNOUX

Keyword(s):

Chronic Hepatitis ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Chronic Hepatitis C ◽

Hcv Rna ◽

Interferon Treatment

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HCV RNA serum levels, genotypes and response to alpha interferon treatment in chronic hepatitis C

Gastroenterology ◽

10.1016/0016-5085(95)28434-6 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 108 (4) ◽

pp. A1033 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

A. Bellobuono ◽

S. Tempini ◽

G. Bellati ◽

E. Silini∗ ◽

G. Idéo

Keyword(s):

Chronic Hepatitis ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Chronic Hepatitis C ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Alpha Interferon ◽

Hcv Rna ◽

Interferon Treatment

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Study of quantitative analysis of serum HCV-RNA by bDNA probe method, and usefulness of this method with interferon treatment chronic hepatitis C.

Kanzo ◽

10.2957/kanzo.35.183 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 35 (2) ◽

pp. 183-184

Author(s):

TOSHIO SUZUKI

Keyword(s):

Chronic Hepatitis ◽

Quantitative Analysis ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Chronic Hepatitis C ◽

Probe Method ◽

Hcv Rna ◽

Interferon Treatment

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Interferon treatment for chronic hepatitis C infection in hemophiliacs-- influence of virus load, genotype, and liver pathology on response

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v87.5.1704.1704 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 87 (5) ◽

pp. 1704-1709 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

JP Hanley ◽

LM Jarvis ◽

J Andrew ◽

R Dennis ◽

PC Hayes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Hepatitis ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Chronic Hepatitis C ◽

Early Stage ◽

Hcv Infection ◽

Hcv Rna ◽

Interferon Treatment ◽

Hepatitis C Infection ◽

Virus Load ◽

Chronic Hcv

Abstract In this study, we assessed the effectiveness of interferon treatment in 31 hemophiliacs with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Interferon alfa-2a (3 MU three times weekly) was administered for 6 months. Response was assessed by both serial alanine transaminase (ALT) and HCV RNA levels measured by a sensitive semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. HCV genotype was determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), and evidence of changing genotypes during interferon therapy was sought. Severity of liver disease was assessed by both noninvasive and invasive methods, including laparoscopic liver inspection and biopsy. Sustained normalization of ALT levels occurred in eight patients (28%), and seven (24%) became nonviremic as assessed by PCR (<80 HCV/mL). Responders universally cleared HCV RNA within 2 months of starting interferon. Genotype 3a was associated with a favorable response to interferon. No evidence was found for a change in circulating genotype in patients who failed to respond to interferon or who relapsed. This study confirms that response rates to interferon are low in hemophiliacs as compared with other groups with chronic HCV infection. We have also demonstrated that virus load measurement over the first 8 to 12 weeks of treatment is an extremely useful method to identify responders at an early stage.

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Clinical Evaluation of the Automated COBAS AMPLICOR HCV MONITOR Test Version 2.0 for Quantifying Serum Hepatitis C Virus RNA and Comparison to the Quantiplex HCV Version 2.0 Test

Journal of Clinical Microbiology ◽

10.1128/jcm.38.8.2933-2939.2000 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 38 (8) ◽

pp. 2933-2939 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Ming-Lung Yu ◽

Wan-Long Chuang ◽

Chia-Yen Dai ◽

Shinn-Cherng Chen ◽

Zu-Yau Lin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Hepatitis ◽

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Viral Load ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Chronic Hepatitis C ◽

Hcv Rna ◽

Interferon Treatment ◽

Test Version ◽

Version 2.0 ◽

Chronic Hepatitis C Patients

A second-generation hepatitis C virus (HCV) quantitative assay (COBAS AMPLICOR HCV MONITOR Test, version 2.0; COBAS HCM-2) has been developed, with the intention of achieving equivalent quantification of all HCV genotypes and improving assay performance. To evaluate the clinical performance of COBAS HCM-2 and its utility in predicting the response to alpha interferon treatment, sera from 215 chronic hepatitis C patients were analyzed and the results were compared with those obtained by the Quantiplex bDNA HCV RNA, version 2.0, assay (bDNA-2). The COBAS HCM-2 had significantly greater sensitivity than bDNA-2 (94.9 versus 88.4%; P < 0.001) when performed with sera from chronic hepatitis C patients who were viremic by a qualitative PCR test. The standard deviations for the within-run and between-run reproducibilities of COBAS HCM-2 were <0.1 and <0.2, respectively, and it showed an improved linear range between genotypes with the threefold serial dilutions tested (r 2 = 0.986 to 0.995). The COBAS HCM-2 results were positively correlated with the bDNA-2 results, but the values for COBAS HCM-2 were on average 0.96 log lower than the values for bDNA-2. The mean difference in quantification values between these two assays did not differ among samples with different genotypes (0.70 to 1.00 log). No genotype-dependent difference in viral load was observed. The pretreatment viral load was significantly lower in complete responders. By using multivariate analysis, the viral load 2 weeks after the initiation of alpha interferon treatment was the strongest predictor of a complete response. In conclusion, COBAS HCM-2 demonstrated good sensitivity, linearity, and reproducibility and efficiency equal to that of bDNA-2 for the quantification of HCV genotypes 1 and 2. Hence, this assay provides a rapid and reliable method for the quantification of HCV RNA in serum and is useful for the planning of interferon treatment.

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