Genes of major histocompatibility complex class II influence chronic C hepatitis treatment with interferon in hemodialysis patients

The prevalence of anti-HCV among patients on hemodialysis is consistently h igher than in the general population, indicating that patients on hemodialy sis programs are at risk of acquiring HCV infection. The response to interf eron alpha 26 (IFN -alpha 26) therapy in chronic C hepatitis depends on vir al and host factors. We treated 22 chronic C hepatitis uremic patients with IFN -alpha 26 (3 MU three times a week) and compared interferon responsive and unresponsive patients with regard to HLA II genes. HLA II genes were i nvestigated by PCR-SSP low resolution, anti-HCV with ELISA II and HCV-RNA w ith reverse transcriptase "nested" PCR. Findings: HLA DRB1*13 is 50% positi ve in the non-responder group (four women, four men, mean age; 28.8 +/- 11. 9 years) and 7% in the responder group (five women, nine men, mean age; 32. 2 +/- 7.8 years) (p<0.05). There was no difference with respect to HLA gene s between controls (six women, eight men, mean age; 29.5 +/- 12.8 years) an d patients (nine women, 13 men, mean age; 31.0 +/- 9.3 years) (HLA DRB1*13 is 28% and 22% positive, respectively). We conclude that major histocompati bility complex class II genes influence the outcome of chronic C hepatitis treatment with IFN -<alpha> 2b.