Decrease in Serum Hepatitis C Viral RNA during Alpha-Interferon Therapy for Chronic Hepatitis C

Abstract

These results indicate that the clinical and serum biochemical response to alpha-interferon in chronic hepatitis C is associated with a loss of detectable HCV genome from serum.

Relationship between biochemical, virological, and histological response during interferon treatment of chronic hepatitis C

“…Compared with pretreatment values, responders achieve a virological response. [6][7][8]12 However, approximately 10% of biochemical nonresponders also clear hepatic inflammation declined by 50% or more in 74% of these patients (Fig. 4B).…”

“…1-4 Serum ALT was therefore used as a surrogate marker of viremia, and the goal of interferon therapy was to achieve a biochemical response. Serum ALT concentration remains the single commonest and least costly method by The widespread use of PCR testing has recently made it possible to detect and quantify HCV RNA in body fluids 8,10 and tissues 11,12 and to monitor serum HCV RNA titer during examined the change in hepatic inflammation (the sum of piecemeal necrosis, lobular inflammation, and portal inflam-the course of interferon therapy. 13 The goal of interferon therapy has thus evolved from normalization of serum ALT mation) that occurred in patients who achieved biochemical response (Fig.…”

“…In these patients, Knodell RNA from serum as assessed by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. [5][6][7][8] Unfortunately, approximately half of all pascore declined significantly from 9.6 { 0.5 to 5.0 { 0.5 (P õ .01), and 75% became HCV RNA negative. The re-tients treated with interferon continue to be classified as nonresponders; serum ALT concentration remains elevated maining patients (50%) were biochemical nonresponders; mean Knodell score declined from 9.6 { 0.5 to 7.7 { 0.5 and HCV RNA remains detectable in serum throughout the duration of therapy.…”

Iron reduction as an adjuvant to interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C who have previously not responded to interferon: A multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled trial

“…HCV RNA was estimated using the branched DNA method (Quantiplex 2.0; Chiron, Emeryville, CA), while samples negative in this assay were tested by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction using an assay with a sensitivity of approximately 2,000 copies per milliliter. 13,14 HCV genotyping was done by using a strip hybridization assay (InnoLIPA, Innogenetics, Ghent, Belgium) and confirmed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis in certain cases. 15,16 Liver biopsy specimens were forwarded to a central site (University of Massachusetts, Worcester, MA) to be read in a blinded fashion by a single pathologist experienced in evaluating liver biopsy specimens from patients with chronic hepatitis C. The degree of inflammation, injury, and fibrosis was scored using the system described by Knodell et al 17 Hepatic iron concentration (HIC) was determined in either frozen or formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples of liver tissue obtained by needle biopsy in a central laboratory (Saint Louis University) using the method described by Torrance and Bothwell.…”

Prediction of sustained remission of chronic hepatitis C after a 12-month course of alfa interferon

“…However, the goal of ainterferon therapy should be the induction of a sustained remission of the disease or even a complete recovery of the process. Some studies have shown that a-interferon suppresses HCV replication in most patients who experience a biochemical response to therapy, as measured by the detection of HCV RNA in serum with the PCR technique (6,11,12). However, in most trials post-treatment relapses affected approximately 50% of the patients who had experienced a biochemical response during therapy (3).…”