Hepatic iron concentration does not predict response to standard and pegylated-IFN/ribavirin therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C |
| |
Authors: | Hofer Harald Osterreicher Christoph Jessner Wolfgang Penz Melitta Steindl-Munda Petra Wrba Friedrich Ferenci Peter |
| |
Institution: | Department of Internal Medicine IV, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringerguertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. |
| |
Abstract: | BACKGROUND/AIMS: Iron overload is common among patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). In this study the role of hepatic iron concentration (HIC) and serum iron parameters was assessed to determine response to standard and pegylated interferon (IFN)/ribavirin combination therapy in patients with CHC. METHODS: Liver biopsies were obtained from 169 IFN-na?ve patients (m=115, f=54, age: 40.8+/-10.7) with CHC. 140 patients were treated with standard IFN/ribavirin, 29 patients with pegylated-IFN/ribavirin. Biopsy specimens were evaluated according to the DiBisceglie scoring system and iron grading. HIC was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Ferritin and transferrin saturation and presence of HFE-C282Y and H63D gene mutations were determined at baseline. RESULTS: Nonresponders to combination therapy had higher serum ferritin levels at baseline (p<0.01). There was no difference of HIC, transferrin saturation levels, and the HFE-mutation status between responders and nonresponders. Logistic regression analysis revealed serum ferritin as an independent predictor of response. HIC correlated with the DiBisceglie score (r=0.352, p<0.001), iron grading (r=0.352, p<0.001) and serum ferritin (r=0.335, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Pretreatment liver iron concentration does not predict response to combination therapy in patients with CHC. In contrast, high baseline serum ferritin levels are predictors of poor response to antiviral therapy. |
| |
Keywords: | Chronic hepatitis C Hepatitis C virus Interferon-alpha Hepatic iron concentration Serum iron indices Ferritin |
本文献已被 ScienceDirect PubMed 等数据库收录! |
|