Abstract
We have investigated the relationship between serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in the assessment of responses to interferon (IFN) therapy in chronic HCV infection. Data from 704 patients with HCV infection who were randomized to receive consensus IFN-α (CIFN) 3 μg (n = 232 patients) or 9 μg (n = 232 patients), or IFN-α2b 3 million units (MU) (n = 240 patients), were used for these analyses. All patients were treated three times weekly for 24 weeks and then were observed for a further 24 weeks. Hepatitis C viral RNA (HCV RNA) was determined by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with a lower limit of detection of 100 copies ml-1. Of patients with normal serum ALT concentrations, 53% (120/225) had undetectable HCV RNA at the end-of- treatment period and 47% (51/109) had undetectable HCV RNA at the end of the post-treatment observation period. In contrast, of the patients with undetectable HCV RNA, 75% (120/161) and 84% (51/61) had normal serum ALT activities at the end-of-treatment and post-treatment observations periods, respectively. The majority of patients with undetectable HCV RNA had normal ALT values. In contrast, only half of the patients with normal ALT values were negative for HCV. End-of-treatment HCV RNA response also better predicted sustained virological response than did end-of-treatment ALT response.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 271-276 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Journal of Viral Hepatitis |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jul 1998 |
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Keywords
- ALT
- Clinical study
- Consensus interferon
- HCV infection
- HCV RNA
- Interferon
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Hepatology
- Virology
Cite this
Relationship between biochemical and virological responses to interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C infection. / Pockros, P. J.; Tong, M.; Lee, W. M.; Van Leeuwen, D. J.; Keeffe, E. B.; Bala, K.; Killenberg, P. G.; Foust, R. T.; Rosenblate, H. J.; Payne, K. M.; Fromm, H.; Lesesne, H. R.; Black, M.
In: Journal of Viral Hepatitis, Vol. 5, No. 4, 07.1998, p. 271-276.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Relationship between biochemical and virological responses to interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C infection
AU - Pockros, P. J.
AU - Tong, M.
AU - Lee, W. M.
AU - Van Leeuwen, D. J.
AU - Keeffe, E. B.
AU - Bala, K.
AU - Killenberg, P. G.
AU - Foust, R. T.
AU - Rosenblate, H. J.
AU - Payne, K. M.
AU - Fromm, H.
AU - Lesesne, H. R.
AU - Black, M.
PY - 1998/7
Y1 - 1998/7
N2 - We have investigated the relationship between serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in the assessment of responses to interferon (IFN) therapy in chronic HCV infection. Data from 704 patients with HCV infection who were randomized to receive consensus IFN-α (CIFN) 3 μg (n = 232 patients) or 9 μg (n = 232 patients), or IFN-α2b 3 million units (MU) (n = 240 patients), were used for these analyses. All patients were treated three times weekly for 24 weeks and then were observed for a further 24 weeks. Hepatitis C viral RNA (HCV RNA) was determined by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with a lower limit of detection of 100 copies ml-1. Of patients with normal serum ALT concentrations, 53% (120/225) had undetectable HCV RNA at the end-of- treatment period and 47% (51/109) had undetectable HCV RNA at the end of the post-treatment observation period. In contrast, of the patients with undetectable HCV RNA, 75% (120/161) and 84% (51/61) had normal serum ALT activities at the end-of-treatment and post-treatment observations periods, respectively. The majority of patients with undetectable HCV RNA had normal ALT values. In contrast, only half of the patients with normal ALT values were negative for HCV. End-of-treatment HCV RNA response also better predicted sustained virological response than did end-of-treatment ALT response.
AB - We have investigated the relationship between serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in the assessment of responses to interferon (IFN) therapy in chronic HCV infection. Data from 704 patients with HCV infection who were randomized to receive consensus IFN-α (CIFN) 3 μg (n = 232 patients) or 9 μg (n = 232 patients), or IFN-α2b 3 million units (MU) (n = 240 patients), were used for these analyses. All patients were treated three times weekly for 24 weeks and then were observed for a further 24 weeks. Hepatitis C viral RNA (HCV RNA) was determined by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with a lower limit of detection of 100 copies ml-1. Of patients with normal serum ALT concentrations, 53% (120/225) had undetectable HCV RNA at the end-of- treatment period and 47% (51/109) had undetectable HCV RNA at the end of the post-treatment observation period. In contrast, of the patients with undetectable HCV RNA, 75% (120/161) and 84% (51/61) had normal serum ALT activities at the end-of-treatment and post-treatment observations periods, respectively. The majority of patients with undetectable HCV RNA had normal ALT values. In contrast, only half of the patients with normal ALT values were negative for HCV. End-of-treatment HCV RNA response also better predicted sustained virological response than did end-of-treatment ALT response.
KW - ALT
KW - Clinical study
KW - Consensus interferon
KW - HCV infection
KW - HCV RNA
KW - Interferon
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0031853992&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0031853992&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1046/j.1365-2893.1998.00114.x
DO - 10.1046/j.1365-2893.1998.00114.x
M3 - Article
VL - 5
SP - 271
EP - 276
JO - Journal of Viral Hepatitis
JF - Journal of Viral Hepatitis
SN - 1352-0504
IS - 4
ER -