CORRELATION OF SERUM HCV RNA AND ALANINE AMINOTRANSFERASE LEVELS IN CHRONIC HEPATITIS-C PATIENTS DURING TREATMENT WITH RIBAVIRIN

Abstract to evaluate the effect of ribavirin on serum hepatitis C viru s (HCV) RNA and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, 22 patients wit h chronic HCV infection were treated with oral ribavirin 1200 mg daily in three divided doses for 4 weeks. At the end of 4 weeks treatment, the serum ALT decreased in all but one patient and became normal in th ree individuals. The mean pretreatment serum ALT was reduced significa ntly from 193 +/- 45 i.u./L to 95 +/- 16 i.u./L after 4 weeks therapy (P = 0.009). However, 8 weeks after cessation of treatment, the serum ALT rose to a mean value of 154 +/- 21 i.u./L. The mean pretreatment s erum HCV RNA was not significantly decreased at the end of 4 weeks tre atment (7.0 x 10(5) vs 4.1 x 10(5) copies/mL, P > 0.05). However, seru m HCV RNA levels were decreased in 12 and increased in 10 patients at the end of 4 weeks therapy. Eight weeks after cessation of therapy, th e serum HCV RNA of 22 patients rose to a mean Value of 4.9 +/- 10(5) c opies/mL. Six patients who continued to have elevated serum ALT and po sitive HCV RNA after the initial 4 weeks treatment received oral ribav irin at the same dosage for an additional 24 weeks. The serum ALT agai n decreased in all six patients during therapy, but rose to pretreatme nt values by 8 weeks after cessation of the treatment. In addition, no significant changes were noted in the mean serum HCV RNA levels durin g and after 24 weeks of ribavirin therapy. Our results indicate that o ral ribavirin only transiently lowered serum ALT values and did not ef ficiently suppress HCV synthesis in patients with chronic hepatitits C infection.