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Relationship between pretreatment viremia level and response to interferon-α therapy in chronic hepatitis c differs in viral type 1 and 2 infections

  • Liver: Infections, Inflammatory, And Metabolic Disorders
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Abstract

To determine the contribution of virus-related factors to long-term remission of chronic hepatitis C infection, we analyzed viral type and viremia level in 185 patients who had undergone a six-month course of interferon-α therapy. These virus-related factors were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with use of viral type-specific antigens and the branched DNA (bDNA) signal amplification assay, respectively. Sustained and long-term sustained responses were achieved in 55% and 50% of the patients, respectively. Transient or no responses were observed in 30% and 15% of the patients, respectively. Thirty-five percent of viral type 1 patients and 82% of viral type 2 patients had long-term sustained responses. Forty-two percent of bDNA-positive and 71% of bDNA-negative patients experienced long-term sustained responses. On multivariate analysis, viral type, Knodell's intralobular score, and viremia level were strong independent predictors of long-term sustained response (P<0.0001, =0.0060, and 0.037, respectively). Viremia level, however, was a significant predictor only in viral type 1, not type 2, patients. The relation between pretreatment viremia level and response to interferon-α therapy in chronic hepatitis C differs in viral type 1 and 2 infections.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology, Toranomon Hospital, 2-2-2, Toranomon, Minato-ku, 105, Tokyo

    Akihito Tsubota MD, Hiromitsu Kumada MD, Kazuaki Chayama MD, Yasuji Arase MD, Satoshi Saitoh MD, Isao Koida MD, Naoya Murashima MD, Yoshiyuki Suzuki MD, Masahiro Kobayashi MD, Kimiko Takagi BSc, Mariko Kobayashi BSc & Kenji Ikeda MD

  2. Department of Gastroenterology, Toranomon Branch Hospital, 213, Kanagawa

    Akihito Tsubota MD, Hiromitsu Kumada MD, Kazuaki Chayama MD, Yasuji Arase MD, Satoshi Saitoh MD, Isao Koida MD, Naoya Murashima MD, Yoshiyuki Suzuki MD, Masahiro Kobayashi MD, Kimiko Takagi BSc, Mariko Kobayashi BSc & Kenji Ikeda MD

  3. Liver Unit, Mishuku Hospital, 110, Tokyo

    Akihito Tsubota MD, Hiromitsu Kumada MD, Kazuaki Chayama MD, Yasuji Arase MD, Satoshi Saitoh MD, Isao Koida MD, Naoya Murashima MD, Yoshiyuki Suzuki MD, Masahiro Kobayashi MD, Kimiko Takagi BSc, Mariko Kobayashi BSc & Kenji Ikeda MD

  4. Liver Research Laboratory, Toranomon Hospital, 105, Tokyo, Japan

    Akihito Tsubota MD, Hiromitsu Kumada MD, Kazuaki Chayama MD, Yasuji Arase MD, Satoshi Saitoh MD, Isao Koida MD, Naoya Murashima MD, Yoshiyuki Suzuki MD, Masahiro Kobayashi MD, Kimiko Takagi BSc, Mariko Kobayashi BSc & Kenji Ikeda MD

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  1. Akihito Tsubota MD
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  2. Hiromitsu Kumada MD
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  3. Kazuaki Chayama MD
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  4. Yasuji Arase MD
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  5. Satoshi Saitoh MD
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  6. Isao Koida MD
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  7. Naoya Murashima MD
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  8. Yoshiyuki Suzuki MD
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  9. Masahiro Kobayashi MD
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  10. Kimiko Takagi BSc
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  11. Mariko Kobayashi BSc
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  12. Kenji Ikeda MD
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Tsubota, A., Kumada, H., Chayama, K. et al. Relationship between pretreatment viremia level and response to interferon-α therapy in chronic hepatitis c differs in viral type 1 and 2 infections. Digest Dis Sci 41, 1925–1932 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02093591

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02093591

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