干扰素联合利巴韦林治疗慢性丙型肝炎患者的疗效

目的 研究昆明地区HCV感染者的病毒基因型分布,观察干扰素和利巴韦林联合治疗慢性丙型肝炎的疗效。 方法 采集60例慢性丙型肝炎患者的血液样品,采用特异性探针杂交法进行HCV基因分型,根据基因分型结果将患者分为HCV 1b型感染的长效干扰素治疗组（皮下注射聚乙二醇干扰素α-2a 180μg,1次/周）和非1b型感染的普通干扰素治疗组（皮下注射普通干扰素α-1b50μg,隔日1次）,两组患者均口服利巴韦林,剂量为900 ～ 1200 mg/d。治疗前后和随访中检测患者血浆HCV RNA和ALT水平作为疗效评价的指标。用x2检验比较治疗结束后HCV 1b基因型与HCV非1b基因型感染患者肝功能异常率的差异。结果 60例患者的血液样本中,HCV 1b基因型感染患者13例(21.7％),HCV 2a基因型3例(5.0％),HCV 3a基因型10例(16.7％),HCV 3b基因型29例(48.3％),HCV 6a基因型5例(8.3％);60例患者均完成治疗48周,长效干扰素治疗组和普通干扰素治疗组获得持续病毒学应答率分别为46.1％、74.5％;获得早期病毒学应答的患者全部获得持续病毒学应答。长效干扰素治疗组和普通干扰素治疗组在治疗后肝功能仍异常的患者分别占15.4％、14.9％,两组比较,x2=0.01,P＞0.05,差异无统计学意义。结论 (1)昆明地区HCV感染基因型以3b和1b为主;(2)聚乙二醇干扰素α-2a联合利巴韦林治疗HCV 1b型感染患者的疗效不理想;(3)早期病毒学应答是获得持续病毒学应答的重要预测因素。     

聚乙二醇干扰素联合利巴韦林治疗血清丙氨酸转氨酶异常慢性丙型肝炎的临床疗效

目的：观察慢性丙型肝炎患者体内血清丙氨酸转氨酶（ALT）水平对聚乙二醇干扰素（PegIFNα-2a）联合利巴韦林（RBV）治疗丙型肝炎疗效的影响。方法68例慢性丙型肝炎患者按照血清 ALT 水平分为2组,ALT 异常组（A 组）36例,ALT 正常组（B 组）32例,均按体质量给予 PegIFNα-2a 联合 RBV 治疗,疗程为48周,比较2组治疗后丙型肝炎病毒转阴率及干扰素应答率。结果 A 组患者治疗后丙型肝炎病毒转阴率为93．8％,持久病毒学应答率为86．7％;B 组患者治疗后丙型肝炎病毒转阴率为94．4％,持久病毒学应答率为88．2％。两组患者 HCV RNA 应答率差异无统计学意义（P ＞0．05）。结论PegIFNα-2a 联合 RBV 对 ALT 正常及异常的慢性丙型肝炎患者均有较好疗效,血清 ALT 水平不影响干扰素治疗慢性丙型肝炎的疗效。     

聚乙二醇干扰素α-2a 联合利巴韦林治疗基因1b 型慢性丙型肝炎临床观察

目的：观察聚乙二醇干扰素α-2a 联合利巴韦林治疗基因1b 型慢性丙型肝炎（CHC）的疗效及不良反应。方法40例基因1b 型 CHC 患者应用聚乙二醇干扰素α-2a 联合利巴韦林治疗,疗程48周,随访24周,观察病毒学应答情况及药物不良反应。结果获得快速病毒学应答（RVR）、完全早期病毒学应答（cEVR）、治疗结束时病毒学应答（ETVR）和持续病毒学应答（SVR）比例分别为65．0％、82．5％、90．0％、82．5％,获得 RVR 者均获得 SVR;合并脂肪肝者获得 SVR 的比例低于无脂肪肝者（P ＜0．05）;治疗过程中聚乙二醇干扰素α-2a 减量者8例,利巴韦林减量者6例。结论聚乙二醇干扰素α-2a 联合利巴韦林治疗基因1b 型 CHC 疗效良好;合并脂肪肝患者疗效低于无脂肪肝患者;治疗中不良反应普遍,但均能耐受。     

聚乙二醇干扰素加利巴韦林治疗慢性丙型肝炎疗效影响因素分析

目的研究聚乙二醇干扰素α-2a联合利巴韦林治疗慢性丙型肝炎（丙肝）疗效的影响因素。方法101例慢性丙肝患者均给予聚乙二醇干扰素α-2a 180μg／周联合利巴韦林10．6～15．0mg／（kg·d）,疗程48周,分析性别、体重指数（body mass index,BMI）、初始HCVRNA定量、ALT及GLU等对持续病毒学应答（sustainedvirologicresponse,SVR）的影响。结果聚乙二醇干扰素α-2a联合利巴韦林治疗慢性丙肝总的SVR率为50％,其中获得快速病毒学应答（rapid virologic response．RVR）和早期病毒学应答（early virologic response,EVR）患者实现SVR达100％,未获得RVR和EVR患者实现SVR为19．35％;高BMI值、发生脂肪肝的患者不容易达到SVR,而糖化血红蛋白、初始HCVRNA载量高、GLU、ALT及性别对SVR无影响。结论RVR、EVR可以预测SVR;BMI、是否合并脂肪肝是聚乙二醇干扰素α-2a联合利巴韦林治疗慢性丙肝获得SVR的影响因素。     

慢性丙型肝炎干扰素治疗后复发患者干扰素联合利巴韦林再治疗

目的 探讨干扰素（IFN）治疗后复发的慢性丙型肝炎（CHC）患者对IFN联合利巴韦林再治疗的应答情况及影响因素。方法 100例IFN治疗后复发的CHC患者中，50例使用聚乙二醇干扰素α-2a（PEG—IFNα-2a），50例使用重组人干扰素α-1b（CIFNα—1b），均联合利巴韦林再治疗，联合治疗48周，停药随访24周，分析HCVRNA载量、病毒基因型、药物种类对联合治疗疗效的影响。结果 100例复发患者联合再治疗后，36．00％取得持续病毒学应答（SVR），其中PEG-IFNα-2a组48．00％取得SVR，显著高于CIFNα—1b组（24．00％，P〈0．05）。56例低病毒载量（HCV-RNA〈1×10^5拷贝／mL）患者中，PEG—IFNα-2a组28例，其中57．14％取得SVR，显著高于CIFNα—1b组（25．00％，P〈0．05）。HCV非基因1（2a或2b）型组29例，其中55．17％取得SVR，显著高于基因1型组（28．20％，P〈0．05）；在CIFNα—1b治疗组，病毒非基因1型17例患者，其中47．06％取得SVR，明显高于基因1型患者（12，12％，P〈0．01）；在基因1型组，PEG—IFNα-2a组38例，其中42．11％取得SVR，显著高于CIFNα—1b组（12．12％，P〈0.01）。结论 IFN治疗后复发的CHC患者IFN联合利巴韦林再治疗存在部分患者无应答；对于HCV病毒载量低、基因1型的复发患者，聚乙二醇干扰素联合利巴韦林再治疗疗效明显优于普通干扰素的联合治疗。     

慢性丙型肝炎患者病毒因素及宿主细胞免疫对干扰素治疗应答的影响

目的：探讨丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）因素及机体细胞免疫因素对干扰素疗效的影响。方法：对40例慢性丙型肝炎患者进行干扰素治疗，分析HCV基因型，准种多样性，血清HCV RNA水平及肝组织HCV特异性细胞毒T淋巴细胞（CTL）活性与干扰素应答的关系。结果：经过6个月的干扰素治疗，21例获得治疗终点应答，其中10例呈持续应答，19例无应答，HCV1型患者应答率（43．3％）明显低于非1型患者（80％，P＜0．05），应答患者中治疗前血清HCV准种数目及HCVRNA水平明显低于无应答患者（P＜0．05，P＜0．01），而其肝组织HCV特异性CTL活性阳性率则显著高于无应答者（P＜0．05），结论：病毒因素和宿主因素均是影响慢性丙型肝炎干扰素治疗效果的重要因素，非1型感染，低准种数目，低病毒血症水平及肝组织HCV特异性CTL活性阳性者预示对干扰素应答良好。     

解读2011年美国肝脏病学会关于基因1型慢性丙型肝炎治疗指南的更新

慢性丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）感染的标准抗病毒治疗方案是聚乙二醇化干扰素-α（Peg-IFN-α）2a或Peg-IFN-α2b联合利巴韦林（RBV）治疗。基因1型慢性丙型肝炎初治患者48周持续病毒学应答（sustained virologic response,SVR）为40％～54％,     

聚乙二醇干扰素联合利巴韦林治疗获极快速病毒学应答的初治基因1型慢性丙型肝炎患者疗效观察

目的观察获得极快速病毒学应答的初治基因1型慢性丙型肝炎患者,在继续接受36 w聚乙二醇干扰素α-2a联合利巴韦林治疗后的疗效。方法将基线HCV RNA水平〉400000 IU/ml、接受聚乙二醇干扰素α-2a（180μg/w）联合利巴韦林（1000～1200 mg/d）治疗2 w后HCV RNA阴转的基因1型慢性丙型肝炎初治患者,随机分为两组,分别接受36 w和48 w治疗,在停药后随访24 w,观察疗效。结果本研究共纳入40例患者,两组各20例。治疗36 w患者在治疗结束时病毒学应答（ETVR）、持续病毒学应答（SVR）和复发率分别为100%（20例）、90%（18例）和10%（2例）,治疗48 w患者ETVR、SVR和复发分别为95%（19例）、90%（18例）和5.3%（1例）,两组比较无统计学差异（P〉0.05）;在40例患者,基线HCV RNA水平与SVR呈负相关（OR=0.422,95%CI为0.05～0.29,P=0.007）;在治疗36 w患者,基线HCV RNA〈6×10^7IU/ml患者SVR显著高于HCV RNA≥6×10^7IU/ml患者（P=0.005）,但在治疗48 w患者,未发现这种差异（P=0.063）。结论对于基线HCV RNA水平〉400000 IU/ml的基因1型慢性丙型肝炎初治患者,接受聚乙二醇干扰素α-2a联合利巴韦林治疗,如在2 w时获得病毒学应答,治疗36 w疗程与48 w疗程的SVR相当。     

慢性丙型肝炎干扰素治疗后复发患者的干扰素再治疗

目的探讨干扰素(IFN)治疗后复发的慢性丙型肝炎患者对IFN再治疗的应答情况及影响因素。方法对聚乙二醇化干扰素(PEG-IFN)α-2a与重组人干扰素(CIFN)α-2a治疗中国慢性丙型肝炎患者疗效与安全性的随机、开放、多中心对照研究中的6O例干扰素治疗后复发患者的再治疗进行回顾性研究。其中PEG-IFN α-2a组35例和CIFN α-2a组25例,以持续病毒学应答(SVR)作为疗效的主要评价指标,分析HCV RNA载量、基因型、药物种类对IFN疗效的影响。结果 60例复发患者用IFN再治疗后,55．00％取得治疗结束时的病毒学应答(ETVR),35．00％取得SVR;其中PEG-IFN α-2a组74.29％取得ETVR,显著高于CIFN α-2a组(28．00％),P<0．01; PEG-IFN α-2a组45．71％取得SVR,高于CIFN α-2a组(20．00％), P>0．05;病毒载量高、低组间的ETVR、SVR的差异无统计学意义;对于HCV基因1型感染患者,PEG- IFN α-2a的ETVR(75．00％)和SVR(45．83％)均显著高于CIFN α-2a组(分别为22．22％和11．11％), P相似文献   

老年慢性丙型肝炎患者抗病毒疗效及影响因素探讨

目的：探讨老年慢性丙型肝炎患者抗病毒疗效及影响因素。方法回顾性分析42例老年慢性丙型肝炎患者经聚乙二醇干扰素（Peg-IFNα-2a）联合利巴韦林治疗48周随访24周的病毒学应答、复发及无应答情况,分析与病毒学应答相关的影响因素。结果42例老年慢性丙型肝炎患者获得快速病毒学应答（RVR）、早期病毒学应答（EVR）、持续病毒学应答（SVR）比例分别为42．9％、78．6％、57．1％,复发率为26．2％,无应答率为21．4％。RVR组、EVR组的SVR为77．8％、72．7％,均高于非 RVR 组、非 EVR 组的41．7％、0（P 值分别为0．02、0．00）。SVR 组的病程（10．0±4．6）年、基线 HCV RNA（5．67±0．82）lg拷贝/mL、基因Ⅰ型占45．8％,显著低于非SVR组的（17．2±5．6）年、（6．39±0．92）lg拷贝/mL 和83．3％（P 值分别为0．00、0．02、0．01）;IL-28B 基因多态性 CC 等位基因为83．3％,明显高于非SVR组的50％（P＝0．02）。81％的老年慢性丙型肝炎患者感染途径是有手术史或输血史,78．6％的患者病程＞10年。结论老年慢性丙型肝炎患者可获得较高的病毒学应答率。感染 HCV 年限、基线 HCV RNA 载量、非基因Ⅰ型以及IL-28B等位基因CC型和RVR、EVR是预测抗病毒疗效的影响因素。     

HCV基因型对慢性丙型肝炎干扰素疗效的影响

目的 探讨HCV基因型对慢性丙型肝炎的干扰素（IFN）治疗效果的影响。方法 采用随机、开放和对照的多中心临床试验设计。208例受试者按1：1随机分到聚乙二醇干扰素α—2a(Peg-IFN）组和IFN-α-2a组。在治疗之前，用Simmonds基因分型法酶切分型，在治疗24周结束和完成24周的随访后检测患者的ALT和HCV RNA，以HCV RNA的阴转率作为主要评价指标，经ITT人群的统计学分析。结果 202例患者确定了HCV基因型，基因1型158例（78.2%），非基因1型44例（21.8%），治疗结束病毒应答率（ETVR）和持续病毒应答率（SVR）基因1型患者分别为53.8%和25.3%，非基因1型患者分别为61.4%和43.2%，SVR两组患者差异有显著性，x^2=5.313,P=0.021。Peg IFN组基因1型和非1型患者的ETVR分别为76.8%和81.0%，SVR分别为35.4%和66.7%，SVR两组患者差异有显著性，x^2=6.735,P=0.01。病毒复发率基因1型和非基因1型患者分别为55.6%和23.5%，差异有显著性，x^2=5.496,P=0.02.IFN-α-2a组，ETVR和SVR基因1型患者分别为29.0%和14.5%，非基因1型患者分别43.5%和21.7%，差异无显著性。病毒复发率基因1型患者为72.7%，非基因1型患者为50.0%，差异无显著性。结论 IFN对基因1型丙型肝炎患者的疗效低于非基因1型，HCV基因型主要影响IFN对慢性丙型肝炎的持续应答，也与药物和IFN的疗程相关。     

Clinical trial results of peginterferons in combination with ribavirin

Of the large number of patients chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), only about one third have progressive liver disease, and will eventually develop cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. These are the patients for whom effective antiviral treatment is most needed. Therapy is currently recommended for patients with chronic hepatitis C who have abnormal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, detectable hepatitis C virus ribonucleic acid (HCV RNA) in the blood, and significant necroinflammatory changes and/or fibrosis on liver biopsy. The current gold standard in terms of treatment efficacy is the combination of peginterferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin. The overall sustained virological response rate (SVR) with these regimens is 54 to 61% following 48 weeks of therapy. Patients with genotype 1 infection have a 42 to 51% likelihood of response to 48 weeks of therapy. Those with genotypes 2 or 3 infection will respond to 24 weeks of therapy in 78 to 82% of cases. These SVR rates are 5 to 10 percentage points higher in all patient groups than in those obtained with standard doses of interferon (IFN) and ribavirin. Retreatment of nonresponders to standard IFN monotherapy using PEG-IFN and ribavirin has achieved SVR rates of 34 to 40%. Retreatment of patients who relapsed after IFN monotherapy has resulted in an SVR rate of about 60%. A SVR after retreatment of relapsers and nonresponders with PEG-IFN and ribavirin is more likely in patients previously treated with IFN monotherapy, those with HCV genotypes 2 or 3, patients with low viral load (<2 million copies/mL), and individuals who had a significant decrease in HCV RNA levels during the initial treatment. The potential benefits of long-term anti-HCV suppressive therapy in nonresponders are currently under investigation.     

聚乙二醇干扰素α-2a联合利巴韦林治疗慢性丙型肝炎患者的病毒学应答

目的观察聚乙二醇干扰素α-2a（PEG-IFNα-2a）联合利巴韦林治疗慢性丙型肝炎（CHC）的疗效。方法回顾性分析在本院门诊接受抗病毒治疗的58例CHC患者,其中HCV-1型患者43例,HCV-2型患者15例,均给予PEG-IFNα-2a和利巴韦林治疗,疗程48周。分别在治疗前、治疗后4、12、24周,治疗终点,治疗结束后24周及48周测定患者血浆HCV RNA水平。结果 HCV-2型患者4周快速病毒学应答（RVR）率明显高于HCV-1型患者（80%vs 48.8%,P〈0.05）;治疗结束后随访48周HCV-2型患者的持续病毒应答（SVR）率明显高于1型患者（86.7%vs 53.5%,P〈0.05）。低病毒载量患者（RNA〈2×106拷贝/ml）的RVR率明显高于高病毒载量患者（93.8%vs 46.2%,P〈0.05）;治疗结束后随访48周低病毒载量患者的SVR率明显高于高病毒载量者（84.2%vs 51.3%,P〈0.05）。结论 PEG-IFNα-2a联合利巴韦林治疗CHC安全有效,对基因2型疗效优于基因1型,病毒载量低的患者疗效优于病毒载量高的患者。     

慢性丙型肝炎抗病毒治疗应答独立预测因子的研究

目的 通过对应用不同干扰素(IFN)剂型的大样本慢性丙型肝炎患者的治疗,对可能与IFN疗效相关的因子进行多因素回归分析,探讨慢性丙型肝炎IFN治疗应答的预测因子。方法 对入选聚乙二醇干扰素α-2a治疗慢性丙型肝炎的随机、开放、多中心对照研究的患者随机分组,分别应用聚乙二醇干扰素α-2a和干扰素α-2a治疗24周,停药后随访24周。在用药前对患者血清中的HCV RNA进行定量和基因分型检测,治疗和随访结束时检测血清HCV RNA含量,以HCV RNA阴转作为IFN治疗应答的主要评价指标,并对患者临床特征、病毒学特征进行多因素logistic回归分析。 结果 按意愿治疗分析人群208例,按方案分析人群197例,在对按方案分析人群的分析中,治疗24周结束时,女性、年龄<50岁、非输血感染途径、IFN治疗后复发者、天冬氨酸氨基转移酶/丙氨酸氨基转移酶(AST/ALT)<1、HCV RNA 含量<8×105U/ml,非基因1型HCV感染和聚乙二醇干扰素α-2a治疗患者的病毒应答率分别高于男性、年龄≥50岁、输血感染途径、IFN初治患者、AST/ALT比值≥1、HCV RNA含量≥8×105U/ml、基因1型HCV感染和干扰素α-2a治疗患者的应答率。但随访结束时,AST/ALT≥1和HCV RNA含量≥8×105U/ml患者的持续应答率却大于AST/ALT<1和HCV RNA含量<8 × 105U/ml患者。经多因素logis     

Immediate virological response predicts the success of shortterm peg-interferon monotherapy for chronic hepatitis C

AIM:To investigate the efficacy of short-term peginterferon(PEG-IFN)monotherapy for chronic hepatitis C patients who achieved an immediate virological response.METHODS:Defining an“immediate virological response(IVR)“as the loss of serum hepatitis C virus(HCV) RNA 7 d after the first administration of PEG-IFNα,we conducted a 12-wk course of PEG-IFNα2a monotherapy without the addition of ribavirin for 38 patients who had low pretreatment HCV RNA load and exhibited IVR.The patients included 21 men and 17 women...     

IL28B genetic variation and treatment response in patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 3 infection

Polymorphisms near the IL28B gene, which code for interferon (IFN)-λ3, predict response to pegylated interferon-α (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin treatment in hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infected patients. Follow-up studies of the effect of IL28B gene in HCV non-genotype 1 infected patients have almost always used predominantly HCV genotype 2-infected or mixed genotype 2/3-infected cohorts with results partly conflicting with HCV genotype 1. We performed a retrospective analysis of 281 patients infected with HCV genotype 3 for association of response to therapy with IL28B polymorphisms. We found that the HCV genotype 1 responder genotypes at rs12979860 and rs8099917 did not associate with sustained virological response to PEG-IFN/ribavirin therapy. However, the responder genotypes of both SNPs showed association with rapid viral response measured at 4 weeks (rs12979860, P = 3 × 10(-5) ; rs8099917, P = 3 × 10(-4) ). In multivariate analysis, age (<40 years), baseline viral load (<4 × 10(5) IU/mL) and the responder genotypes of SNPs rs12979860 or rs8099917 remained significant independent predictors of rapid viral response to therapy. Furthermore, we show that IL28B polymorphisms are associated with relapse in patients who achieve rapid viral response to PEG-IFN/ribavirin therapy. The responder genotypes also showed association with markers of stage and activity of liver disease, namely high aspartate aminotransferase platelet ratio index (APRI, rs12979860, P = 0.018; rs8099917, not significant) and high alanine aminotransferase (ALT, rs12979860, P = 0.002; rs8099917, P = 0.001), in addition to a high baseline viral load (rs12979860, P = 1.4 × 10(-5) ; rs8099917, P = 7.3 × 10(-6) ). CONCLUSION: Polymorphisms near the IL28B gene show association with rapid viral response but not sustained viral response to PEG-IFN/ribavirin therapy in HCV genotype 3-infected patients.     

Comparison of a 6-month course peginterferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin and interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin in treating Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis C in Taiwan

Previous studies in Caucasian patients showed treatment of chronic hepatitis C with pegylated interferon/ribavirin was well tolerated, and produced a higher response rate especially in genotype 1 infections. However, it is unknown whether this conclusion can be extrapolated to patients with Chinese ethnic origin. A total of 153 patients with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis C were randomly assigned to receive either weekly injection of peginterferon alpha-2b 1.5 mcg/kg plus oral ribavirin (1000 or 1200 mg/day, depending on body weight) (PEG group, n = 76) or 3 MU of interferon alpha-2b t.i.w. plus ribavirin (IFN group, n = 77) for 24 weeks. Sustained virological response (SVR) was defined as the sustained disappearance of serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA at 24 weeks after the end of treatment by polymerase chain reaction assay. Baseline demographic, viral and histological characteristics were comparable between the two groups. Using an intent-to-treat analysis, HCV genotype 1 patients showed a significantly higher SVR in patients receiving PEG-IFN rather than IFN (65.8%vs 41.0%, P = 0.019), but no difference was found in genotype non-1 patients (PEG vs IFN: 68.4%vs 86.8%, P = 0.060). Genotype 1 patients (28.6%) in the PEG-IFN group relapsed, as compared with 52.9% in the IFN group (P = 0.040). Multivariate analyses showed early virological response at week 12 of therapy and genotype non-1 were significant predictors to SVR. As compared with the IFN group, patients receiving PEG-IFN had a significantly higher rate of discontinuation, dose reduction, fever, headache, insomnia, leucopenia and thrombocytopenia. In genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C Chinese patient, PEG-IFNalpha2b ribavirin had significantly better SVR and lower relapse rate when compared to IFN/ribavirin. Both regimens can be recommended for genotype non-1 chronic hepatitis C Chinese patients. However, a higher rate of adverse events and discontinuance of therapy were noted in patients treated with PEG-IFNalpha2b ribavirin.     

Can zinc enhance response interferon therapy for patients with HCV-related liver disease?

Patients with liver disease may be at risk of zinc depletion. Zinc supplementation has been shown to contribute to inhibition of liver fibrosis and improvement in hepatic encephalopathy. However, little is known about the anti-inflammatory effect of zinc on hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related chronic liver disease. The standard of care for chronic HCV has improved markedly since the approval of interferon (IFN) therapy more than a decade ago. Over the past 20 years, IFN therapy has improved to more effectively eliminate the virus, progressing from single IFN therapy to combination therapy with ribavirin (RBV) and finally to pegylated IFN (PEG-IFN) therapy. However, even combined therapy with PEG-IFN and RBV for 48 wk is unable to eliminate the virus in some 40% of hepatitis C cases, particularly those with genotype 1b and high viral load. Treatment options for patients who have relapsed or are refractory to treatment with PEG-IFN and RBV therefore need to be critically assessed. This paper overviews the relationship between chronic liver disease and zinc metabolism.     

The conundrum of relapse in STAT-C therapy: does HCV play the Red Queen or Rip Van Winkle?

New treatments for chronic hepatitis C combining direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) with pegylated interferon and ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV) have dramatically increased the number of patients whose viral load declines to undetectable levels early in treatment. Most go on to achieve a sustained virologic response, but some patients who maintain undetectable levels of virus throughout treatment later relapse during follow-up. These data suggest that hepatitis C virus (HCV) genomes may persist in form(s) that are refractory to eradication by DAAs and PEG-IFN/RBV. Here we examine the molecular biology of HCV replication and review the clinical virology of relapse for clues as to how the virus might survive months of antiviral therapy to later reappear when treatment is withdrawn.     

Effect of long-term interferon therapy for refractory chronic hepatitis c: preventive effect on hepatocarcinogenesis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Effect of interferon (IFN) therapy for refractory chronic hepatitis C is not sufficient. For patients with persistent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, one of the clinical goals is prevention of progression to liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we evaluated effect of long-term IFN administration for refractory chronic hepatitis C. METHODOLOGY: The patients who were positive for HCV of genotype lb in high viral load and failed in HCV elimination by standard IFN therapy were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into three groups according to administration duration of IFN therapy. The patients in group 1, 2 and 3 received IFN therapy for 6 months, 6-24 months and more than 24 months, respectively. RESULTS: The normalization rate of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels less than twice that of the normal limit 6 months after the treatment was highest in group 3 (85%). The platelet counts in group 1 gradually decreased more than 3 x 10(4)/microL from the pretreatment levels at 100 months after the start of treatment. Cumulative hepatocarcinogenesis rate in groups 1, 2 and 3 were 34.7%, 5.9% and 0%, respectively. We found distinct improvement in both ALT levels and histopathological findings in the case that received the longest term of IFN therapy (91 months). CONCLUSIONS: Long-term IFN therapy is effective in preventing hepatocarcinogenesis through reduction of chronic necroinflammation and accumulation of fibrosis in the liver and may be a good indication even for refractory chronic hepatitis C.