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Prediction of relapse after interferon therapy in hepatitis C virus‐infected patients by the use of triple assay
Author(s) -
ELAWADY MOSTAFA K,
ABDEL RAHMAN MOHAMED M,
ISMAIL SOMAYIA M,
AMR KHALDA S,
OMRAN MOATAZA,
MOHAMED SABRY A
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-1746.2003.02919.x
Subject(s) - medicine , ribavirin , hepatitis c virus , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , interferon , hepatitis c , virology , viral load , immunology , virus , interferon alfa , gastroenterology , alpha interferon , biology , biochemistry , in vitro
Background and Methods: In recent years, several tests have been used as predictive factors for relapse after the end of interferon therapy of chronic hepatitis C carriers. Serum hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐RNA has proved insensitive for predicting relapse because more than 50% of patients with undetectable reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) levels of HCV at the end of therapy become positive for viral RNA after interferon withdrawal. The detection of a minus RNA strand of HCV in liver also failed to efficiently predict relapses in chronic hepatitis patients. Furthermore, the use of a whole blood assay of HCV‐RNA has been controversial. We used a triple assay comprised of RT‐PCR tests for the detection of HCV‐RNA plus strand in serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), together with testing for the minus strand in PBMC for prediction of relapse after interferon + ribavirin combination therapy in 45 patients with chronic hepatitis C. Results: The only four patients with a negative triple assay had no relapse 1 year after the end of therapy. In contrast, two‐thirds of the 12 patients who tested negative for viral RNA in serum at the end of therapy relapsed 1 year later. Conclusion: We concluded that the absence of both minus and plus strands in patients who tested negative for serum PCR may indicate the total eradication of HCV. © 2003 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd