The Impact of Pegylated-Interferon-α plus Ribavirin on Prolactinemia and Testosteronemia among Hepatitis C-Genotype-4a Patients

Abstract

Objectives: the current study is concerned with investigating the circulating prolactin and testosterone in HCV genotype-4a patients. Moreover, the present study aimed at exploring the impact of the pegylated-interferon-α plus ribavirin (PEG-IFN-α /RBV) dual therapy on the levels of these hormones. Design and Methods: Eighty consecutive outpatients with chronic HCV genotype-4a and 40 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the prospective study. Consequently, HCV genotype-4a patients have been divided, depending on the responsiveness ability to the antiviral therapy, into 43 sustained virological responders (SVR) and 37 non-responders (NR). RNA was isolated from sera for HCV genotyping and viral load measuring, to confirms the seropositively results obtained from standard viral antibody tests, by real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Prolactin and total testosterone concentrations were quantitatively determined using the commercially available high-sensitivity immunoassays. Hepatic profile measurements were performed in HCV genotype-4 patients treated with PEG-IFN-α/RBV antiviral therapy and healthy controls. Results: There is a significant increase of prolactin concentrations when comparing chronic HCV genotype-4a infected patients with healthy subjects; regardless of gender. Besides, prolactin concentrations decreased significantly after antiviral therapy in SVR as compared to NR; regardless of gender. While, there are high significant decreases of post-treatment total testosterone concentrations when comparing males NR with SVR. Conclusions: We conclude that HCV genotype-4a patients have high prolactin concentrations; regardless of gender. Besides, there is an early normalization of an abnormal prolactin level as an indicative response to antiviral treatment. While, males NR patients have lower post-treatment total testosterone levels when comparing with SVR.