LONG-TERM VARIATIONS OF SERUM LAMININ AND PROCOLLAGEN-III PEPTIDE IN CHRONIC HCV HEPATITIS AFTER ALPHA-INTERFERON THERAPY

Twenty-three out of 40 patients affected by chronic HCV hepatitis resp onded (i,e, aminotransferases returned to normal) after 6-month treatm ent with 6 MU tiw of recombinant alpha-interferon 2a (IFN); in 11 (Gro up 1), the remission was maintained for a mean observation time of 33. 15 months (range 20-50) after withdrawal of therapy; 12 (Group 2) rela psing after IFN withdrawal, were treated again obtaining in 10 a secon d response, Seventeen did not respond (Group 3), Serum markers of conn ective tissue metabolism (laminin and aminoterminal peptide of type II I procollagen -NPIIIP-) were assayed in all patients before treatment and every 6th month, to evaluate long-term effects of IFN therapy, In non-responders, NPIIIP after treatment was not different from baseline , while laminin significantly increased at 6 and 12 months; in respond ers, NPIIIP decreased significantly after therapy, maintaining values lower than baseline on long-term observation, Laminin decreased signif icantly six months after the end of therapy and remained lower than ba seline in all sustained responders, In this group, the drop in laminin was progressive, whereas in Group 2, laminin showed only a slight dec rease on long-term control, Our data show that these serum markers per sistently decrease in sustained responders to IFN, while in relapsed c ases, prolonged therapy is needed to obtain minor effects on laminin; on the contrary, in non-responders, NPIIIP remains unchanged and lamin in significantly increases, suggesting a persistence of active fibroge nesis.