Serum intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and long-term response to IFN-alpha 2b therapy in chronic hepatitis C

We have attempted to correlate the outcome of; interferon (IFN) therapy wit h circulating soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and the l evel of viremia in a sample of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV ) infection. Forty-two patients were studied. Eighteen patients were mainta ined in long-term remission following IFN therapy, whereas 24 did not respo nd or relapsed, Serum concentrations of sICAM-1 were measured by enzyme-lin ked immunoassay, Viremia was measured by branched DNA signal amplification assay. Basal sICAM-1 was significantly higher in long-term responders than in nonresponder/relapsing patients, It was found that very high levels (>10 00 ng/ml) were closely associated with long-term clinical response. A quant itative evaluation of viremia in basal conditions, which was significantly lower in long-term responders, gave completely opposite results. During tre atment, sICAM-1 concentrations significantly decreased in the group of long -term responders but not in the nonresponders, sICAM-1 reduction was appare nt as early as 1 month after treatment started. Serum sICAM-1 may be a usef ul parameter in evaluating the outcome of patients with chronic hepatitis C infection treated with IFN.