Premium
Relationship between the hepatitis C viral load and the serum interferon concentration during the first week of peginterferon‐alpha‐2b‐ribavirin combination therapy
Author(s) -
François Catherine,
Descamps Véronique,
Brochot Etienne,
Bernard Isabelle,
Canva Valérie,
Mathurin Philippe,
Castelain Sandrine,
Duverlie Gilles
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.21837
Subject(s) - ribavirin , medicine , viral load , interferon , pegylated interferon , hepatitis c virus , combination therapy , alpha interferon , gastroenterology , virology , hepatitis c , chronic hepatitis , population , immunology , virus , environmental health
In chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, the current standard of care (combination therapy with pegylated alpha interferon (PEG‐IFNα) and ribavirin) is only effective in around 50% of cases. The aim of the present study was to analyze the relationship between the HCV load and the PEG‐IFN concentration during the first week of treatment. Fifteen treatment‐naive patients with chronic hepatitis C infection (genotypes 1, 2, 3, and 4) underwent PEG‐IFNα‐2b/ribavirin combination therapy. Blood samples were collected before the first injection (T 0 ) and then at different time points until the next injection a week later. The PEG‐IFN concentration and the HCV load were assayed. The serum interferon concentration peaked 2 days after the first injection (mean value for the study population; T max = 40.9 hr; C max = 490 pg/ml) and a trough in viral load was seen at day 3. The PEG‐IFNα‐2b concentration decreased from day 2 to day 7, enabling a viral rebound in all patients. The change in viral load between day 0 and day 3 differed significantly according to whether the patients were responders at week 12 (Δlog d 0 /d 3 = 2.729 ± 1.419 log 10 IU/ml) or not (Δlog d 0 /d 3 = 1.102 ± 0.472 log 10 IU/ml). Our results emphasize the potential clinical importance of achieving viral decay immediately after initiation of interferon–ribavirin combination therapy. J. Med. Virol. 82:1640–1646, 2010. 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.