Quantitation of hepatitis C virus RNA in plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with chronic hepatitis treated with interferon-alpha

We quantified hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA at different times in plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in 51 patients with chronic hepat itis C undergoing interferon-alpha(2a) (IFN-alpha(2a)) therapy. HCV RNA loa ds in plasma correlated with those in PBMC before and during the treatment (P < 0.001). After treatment, a sustained response was observed in 19 patie nts (SR), a response followed by relapse in 9 (RR), and non response in 23 (NR). By univariate analysis PBMC HCV RNA load before treatment was lower i n SR than in RR and NR (P = 0.003). In the 9 RR, HCV RNA disappeared in PBM C before or at the same time as in plasma and again became detectable in pl asma and PBMC simultaneously or earlier in plasma. These results indicate t hat quantitation of HCV RNA in PBMC is not a useful parameter for the follo w-up of treated patients.