Abstract
Measurement of serum HCV-RNA is a useful index for evaluating the antiviral effect of interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C. In the present study, we investigated whether the detection of hepatic HCV-RNA after interferon treatment, using a polymerase chain reaction assay, predicted long-term response to therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Thirty-three patients underwent liver biopsies before and after interferon therapy. Histology and clinical courses were compared after treatment. Before therapy, serum and hepatic HCV-RNA was detected in specimens from 32 (97%) and 33 (100%) patients, respectively. Serum HCV-RNA became undetectable in samples from 22 (67%) patients; however, in 10 of these patients (45%), serum HCV-RNA levels relapsed after therapy. Hepatic HCV-RNA became undetectable in 14 patients after therapy and the serum aminotransferase concentration remained within normal limits during and following (24-92 weeks) therapy in 12 of these patients (86%). All 11 patients with detectable hepatic HCV-RNA also had serum HCV-RNA and elevated aminotransferase concentrations refractory to therapy. The absence of hepatic HCV-RNA at the end of interferon treatment thus predicted a long-term complete response to therapy with a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 90% and an accuracy of 94%. We conclude that hepatic rather than serum HCV-RNA is a more useful index for the prediction of the long-term efficacy of interferon therapy.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 236-240 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (Australia) |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Publication status | Published - 1996 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Chronic hepatitis C
- Hepatic HCV-RNA
- Interferon
- PCR
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Hepatology
- Gastroenterology
Cite this
Hepatic HCV-RNA as a predictor of outcome after interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C. / Kondo, Masaaki; Tanaka, Katsuaki; Ikeda, Masanori; Arata, Shinju; Saito, Satoru; Sakaguchi, Takashi; Morimoto, Manabu; Fujii, Takando; Mitsui, Konomi; Okazaki, Hiroshi; Hoshino, Masato; Sekihara, Hisahiko.
In: Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (Australia), Vol. 11, No. 3, 1996, p. 236-240.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Hepatic HCV-RNA as a predictor of outcome after interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C
AU - Kondo, Masaaki
AU - Tanaka, Katsuaki
AU - Ikeda, Masanori
AU - Arata, Shinju
AU - Saito, Satoru
AU - Sakaguchi, Takashi
AU - Morimoto, Manabu
AU - Fujii, Takando
AU - Mitsui, Konomi
AU - Okazaki, Hiroshi
AU - Hoshino, Masato
AU - Sekihara, Hisahiko
PY - 1996
Y1 - 1996
N2 - Measurement of serum HCV-RNA is a useful index for evaluating the antiviral effect of interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C. In the present study, we investigated whether the detection of hepatic HCV-RNA after interferon treatment, using a polymerase chain reaction assay, predicted long-term response to therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Thirty-three patients underwent liver biopsies before and after interferon therapy. Histology and clinical courses were compared after treatment. Before therapy, serum and hepatic HCV-RNA was detected in specimens from 32 (97%) and 33 (100%) patients, respectively. Serum HCV-RNA became undetectable in samples from 22 (67%) patients; however, in 10 of these patients (45%), serum HCV-RNA levels relapsed after therapy. Hepatic HCV-RNA became undetectable in 14 patients after therapy and the serum aminotransferase concentration remained within normal limits during and following (24-92 weeks) therapy in 12 of these patients (86%). All 11 patients with detectable hepatic HCV-RNA also had serum HCV-RNA and elevated aminotransferase concentrations refractory to therapy. The absence of hepatic HCV-RNA at the end of interferon treatment thus predicted a long-term complete response to therapy with a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 90% and an accuracy of 94%. We conclude that hepatic rather than serum HCV-RNA is a more useful index for the prediction of the long-term efficacy of interferon therapy.
AB - Measurement of serum HCV-RNA is a useful index for evaluating the antiviral effect of interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C. In the present study, we investigated whether the detection of hepatic HCV-RNA after interferon treatment, using a polymerase chain reaction assay, predicted long-term response to therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Thirty-three patients underwent liver biopsies before and after interferon therapy. Histology and clinical courses were compared after treatment. Before therapy, serum and hepatic HCV-RNA was detected in specimens from 32 (97%) and 33 (100%) patients, respectively. Serum HCV-RNA became undetectable in samples from 22 (67%) patients; however, in 10 of these patients (45%), serum HCV-RNA levels relapsed after therapy. Hepatic HCV-RNA became undetectable in 14 patients after therapy and the serum aminotransferase concentration remained within normal limits during and following (24-92 weeks) therapy in 12 of these patients (86%). All 11 patients with detectable hepatic HCV-RNA also had serum HCV-RNA and elevated aminotransferase concentrations refractory to therapy. The absence of hepatic HCV-RNA at the end of interferon treatment thus predicted a long-term complete response to therapy with a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 90% and an accuracy of 94%. We conclude that hepatic rather than serum HCV-RNA is a more useful index for the prediction of the long-term efficacy of interferon therapy.
KW - Chronic hepatitis C
KW - Hepatic HCV-RNA
KW - Interferon
KW - PCR
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=9244236056&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=9244236056&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 8742919
AN - SCOPUS:9244236056
VL - 11
SP - 236
EP - 240
JO - Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (Australia)
JF - Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (Australia)
SN - 0815-9319
IS - 3
ER -