Effects of interferon‐beta on plasma lipid and lipoprotein composition and post‐heparin lipase activities in patients with chronic hepatitis C

• Published in: Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics Vol. 14; no. 7; pp. 929 - 935
• Main Authors: ANDRADE, R. J, GARCIA-ESCANO, M. D, VALDIVIELSO, P, ALCANTARA, R, SANCHEZ-CHAPARRO, M. A, GONZALEZ-SANTOS, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01.07.2000; Blackwell
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Drug toxicity and drugs side effects treatment; Female; Hepatitis C, Chronic - drug therapy; Hepatitis C, Chronic - metabolism; Humans; Interferon-beta - pharmacology; Interferon-beta - therapeutic use; Lipids - blood; Lipoprotein Lipase - metabolism; Lipoproteins - blood; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous (drug allergy, mutagens, teratogens...); Outcome Assessment (Health Care); Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Prospective Studies; Treatment Outcome; Human; Enzyme; Cholesterolemia; Toxicity; Cytokine; Triacylglycerol lipase; Hepatic disease; Lipids; Esterases; Lipoprotein lipase; Lipoprotein; Carboxylic ester hydrolases; Blood plasma; Infection; Chemotherapy; Chronic; Treatment; Enzymatic activity; Viral disease; Beta interferon; Digestive diseases; Hydrolases; Viral hepatitis C; Triglyceridemia
• ISSN: 0269-2813; 1365-2036
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2036.2000.00792.x

Background: Interferon therapy has been shown to induce lipid abnormalities. Aim: We assessed the effects of interferon‐β on the lipoprotein profile and post‐heparin lipase activities in 26 normolipaemic patients with chronic hepatitis C. Methods: Interferon‐β was administered subcutaneously at doses of 6 × 106 U (units) three times a week, over 6 months, and lipoproteins and post‐heparin lipases were measured at baseline and at the end of therapy. Results: Plasma triglycerides increased by 21% due to preferential enrichment in those contained in the very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) fractions. The concentration of cholesterol decreased slightly in the high density lipoprotein (HDL) subfractions. Lipoprotein lipase, but not hepatic lipase activity decreased by a 36%, and this change showed a significant negative correlation with changes in plasma triglycerides. Five patients (19.5%) responded to interferon‐β therapy. The lipoprotein profile was no different between responders and non‐responders to therapy. Conclusions: Interferon‐β treatment in normolipaemic patients with chronic hepatitis C induced moderate disturbances in plasma lipoproteins, associated with inhibition of lipoprotein lipase activity.