Open AccessAntinuclear antibody titer and treatment response to peginterferon plus ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C patients
Author(s) -
Hsieh MingYen,
Dai ChiaYen,
Lee LiPo,
Huang JeeFu,
Chuang WanLong,
Hou NaiJen,
Lin ZuYau,
Chen ShinnCherng,
Hsieh MingYuh,
Wang LiangYen,
Chang WenYu,
Yu MingLung
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the kaohsiung journal of medical sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.439
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 2410-8650
pISSN - 1607-551X
DOI - 10.1016/j.kjms.2011.10.031
Subject(s) - medicine , ribavirin , anti nuclear antibody , titer , chronic hepatitis , gastroenterology , antibody , virology , antibody response , immunology , virus , autoantibody
Positive serum antinuclear antibody (ANA) is not infrequent in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐infected patients. This prospective study evaluated the impact of ANA on the response to and safety of peginterferon/ribavirin combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C patients in clinical practice. We enrolled 243 consecutive patients who were treated with a 24‐week regimen of peginterferon‐α plus ribavirin, with a 24‐week follow‐up period. ANA titer was determined before antiviral treatment. The primary end‐point was sustained virological response (SVR), defined as HCV RNA <50 IU/mL throughout the follow‐up period. Overall, 187 (77.0%) patients experienced a SVR. In the 105‐patient HCV genotype non‐1 group, patients with ANA titer ≥1:80 had a significantly lower SVR rate than those with ANA titer <1:80 (67.7% vs. 95.8%, respectively, p = 0.013). In contrast, in the 138‐patient HCV genotype 1 group, the SVR rate did not differ between patients with and without ANA titer ≥1:80. Multivariate regressive analyses showed that ANA ≥1:80, age and HCV RNA levels were independent factors associated with SVR in HCV genotype non‐1 patients; whereas HCV RNA levels and hepatic fibrosis were prognostic predictors of SVR in HCV genotype 1 patients. The frequencies of adverse events were similar between patients with and without ANA seropositivity. Peginterferon/ribavirin combination therapy is effective and safe in ANA‐positive chronic hepatitis C patients. A high ANA titer was a negative prognostic factor for treatment response in HCV genotype non‐1 patients.