Interferon (IFN)-gamma-inducible protein-10: association with histological results, viral kinetics, and outcome during treatment with pegylated IFN-alpha 2a and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C virus infection

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 194; no. 7; pp. 895 - 903
• Main Authors: Romero, Ana I, Lagging, Martin, Westin, Johan, Dhillon, Amar P, Dustin, Lynn B, Pawlotsky, Jean-Michel, Neumann, Avidan U, Ferrari, Carlo, Missale, Gabriele, Haagmans, Bart L, Schalm, Solko W, Zeuzem, Stefan, Negro, Francesco, Verheij-Hart, Elke, Hellstrand, Kristoffer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.10.2006
• Subjects: Adult; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Chemokine CXCL10; Chemokines; Chemokines, CXC - blood; Chronic/ drug therapy/virology; Combination; CXC/ blood; Drug Therapy; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Hepacivirus - drug effects; Hepacivirus - physiology; Hepacivirus/drug effects/ physiology; Hepatitis C; Hepatitis C virus; Hepatitis C, Chronic - drug therapy; Hepatitis C, Chronic - virology; Humans; Interferon Alfa-2a/therapeutic use; Interferon Type II/ pharmacology; Interferon-alpha - therapeutic use; Interferon-gamma - pharmacology; Liver - pathology; Male; MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES; MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP; Middle Aged; Polyethylene Glycols - therapeutic use; Recombinant Proteins; Ribavirin - therapeutic use; RNA; RNA, Viral - blood; Treatment Outcome; Viral Load; Viral/blood
• ISSN: 0022-1899
• DOI: 10.1086/507307

We investigated associations between interferon (IFN)-gamma-inducible protein (IP)-10 and liver histological results, viral kinetic response, and treatment outcome in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes 1-4. Plasma IP-10 was monitored before, during, and after treatment with pegylated IFN- alpha 2a and ribavirin in 265 HCV-infected patients. In univariate analyses, a low baseline IP-10 level was significantly associated with low baseline viral load, rapid viral response (RVR), a sustained viral response (SVR), body mass index <25 kg/m2, and less-pronounced fibrosis, inflammation, and steatosis (for HCV genotypes other than 3). When the results of the univariate analyses were included in multivariate analyses, a low plasma IP-10 level, low baseline viral load, and genotype 2 or 3 infection were independent predictors of an RVR and SVR. IP-10 levels decreased 6 weeks into treatment and remained low in patients with an SVR. By contrast, plasma levels of IP-10 rebounded in patients who had detectable HCV RNA after the completion of treatment. Using cutoff IP-10 levels of 150 and 600 pg/mL for predicting an SVR in patients infected with HCV genotype 1 yielded a specificity and sensitivity of 81% and 95%, respectively. Baseline IP-10 levels are predictive of the response to HCV treatment.