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Abstract
The genome-wide association studies have identified a strong association between interleukin 28B (IL28B) gene polymorphisms and the response to treatment in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between three most widely studied IL28B gene polymorphisms and the response to antiviral treatment of chronic hepatitis C. We performed the genotyping of the three IL28B gene polymorphisms: rs12979860, rs8099917, and rs12980275 in 72 Caucasian patients with chronic hepatitis C, previously treated with the combination therapy of pegylated interferon alpha (PEGIFN α) and ribavirin (RBV). The patients included in the study had finished the treatment regimen at least 6 months before enrolling in the study. We used the sustained viral response (SVR) for the evaluation of the effectiveness of the antiviral treatment, and it was tested with an assay with a sensitivity of 20 IU/mL. An SVR was achieved in 59.7% (43/72) of the treated patients. The three IL28B gene polymorphisms (CC genotype of rs12979860, TT genotype of rs8099917, and AA genotype of rs12980275) were associated with the SVR (p=0.029, p=0.016, and p=0.028, respectively) in the study patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with the combination therapy of PEGIFN α and RBV. The association of IL28B gene polymorphisms with the treatment response points to the possibility of personalized medicine for the treatment of HCV infection.
Highlights
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects an estimated number of 200 million people worldwide and is associated with an increased risk of the development of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma [1,2]
In 2014, a combination therapy of the second-generation protease inhibitor or polymerase inhibitor with pegylated interferon alpha 2a or 2b (PEGIFN)/RBV was approved to improve the treatment response in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 [8,9]
The treatment duration was 24 weeks for patients infected with HCV genotype 3, and 48 weeks for patients infected with HCV genotype 1
Summary
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects an estimated number of 200 million people worldwide and is associated with an increased risk of the development of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma [1,2]. Before 2011, the standard treatment for chronic hepatitis C included pegylated interferon alpha 2a or 2b (PEGIFN) in combination with ribavirin (RBV) [4,5]. In 2011, two first-generation HCV protease inhibitors Submitted: 15 July 2015 / Accepted: 09 September 2015 and telaprevir), given in combination with PEGIFN and RBV, were approved for the treatment of HCV genotype 1 infections in many countries [6,7]. In 2014, a combination therapy of the second-generation protease inhibitor (simeprevir) or polymerase inhibitor (sofosbuvir) with PEGIFN/RBV was approved to improve the treatment response in patients infected with HCV genotype 1 [8,9]. The primary goal of the treatment is HCV eradication, which is synonymous with the sustained viral response (SVR). The SVR is defined as undetectable HCV RNA in serum, 24 weeks after the completion of the antiviral treatment [10]
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