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Changes in serum fibrogenesis markers during interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis type C
Author(s) -
Ishibashi K,
Kashiwagi T,
Ito A,
Tanaka Y,
Nagasawa M,
Toyama T,
Ozaki S,
Naito M,
Azuma M
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.510240106
Subject(s) - medicine , interferon , gastroenterology , alpha interferon , interferon alfa , chronic hepatitis , intramuscular injection , hepatitis , inflammation , fibrosis , immunology , endocrinology , virus
Abstract We serially measured the levels of serum N‐terminal peptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP), the 7S domain of type IV collagen (IV‐7S), and hyaluronate (HA) before (0 month), at the end (6 months), and 24 weeks after the end of interferon therapy (12 months) in patients with chronic hepatitis type C to estimate the effects of interferon alfa (IFN‐alpha) on serum levels of hepatic fibrogenesis markers. One hundred twenty‐one patients with chronic hepatitis type C received intramuscular injection of 6 million U of natural IFN‐alpha for 24 weeks. Patients were divided into three groups: sustained complete response (CR‐S), complete response with rebound (CR‐R), and nonresponse (NR). Serum PIIINP, IV‐7S, and HA levels were significantly decreased and reached normal levels at 12 months in CR‐S; only IV‐7S levels were significantly decreased at 12 months in CR‐R, whereas these levels remained abnormally high in the NR. These results suggest that IFN‐ alpha therapy could lower the levels of serum hepatic fibrogenesis markers along with improvements in hepatic inflammation.