Clinical usefulness of the branched DNA assay version 2 in predicting the efficacy of Interferon treatment in a group of chronic HCV patients based on serotype
S. Mahmood et al., Clinical usefulness of the branched DNA assay version 2 in predicting the efficacy of Interferon treatment in a group of chronic HCV patients based on serotype, HEPATOL RES, 20(1), 2001, pp. 9-17
Interferon (IFN) response depends upon pretreatment viral loads and viral g
enotype/serotype. This study investigated the difference in response to IFN
in different viral load groups of 96 chronic hepatitis C patients and comp
ared version 1 (bDNA1.0) and version 2 (bDNA2.0) of the branched DNA assay,
according to serotype. On univariate analysis, viral load (P = 0.0001, by
bDNA 1.0; P = 0.0020, by bDNA 2.0,), serotype (P = 0.0053) and age (P = 0.0
073) were significant predictors of IFN response. On multivariate analysis,
serotype (odds ratio, 5.44; 95% confidence interval, 1.94-15.24; P < 0.01)
was a stronger predictor of IFN response than age or viral load (by bDNA2.
0). In very high (<greater than> 6.7 log eq/ml), high (6.0 similar to 6.69
log eq/ml) and low (< 6 log eq/ml) viral load groups (by bDNA2.0), complete
response was 25, 55 and 92.6% in serotype 2 (sero-2), and 10, 20 and 71.4%
in serotype 1 (sero-l), respectively. In sero-2, bDNA2.0 can detect high v
iral loads underestimated by bDNA1.0. In a low viral load group (by bDNA2.0
), IFN response is dependent upon serotype; sero-2 responded better than se
re-1. However, in high and very high viral load groups, sensitivities of bD
NA1.0 and bDNA2.0 are not effective in clinically distinguishing CR from no
n-response, and aid in patient selection for IFN therapy. (C) 2001 Elsevier
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