Variants in interferon-alpha pathway genes and response to pegylated interferon-Alpha2a plus ribavirin for treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection in the hepatitis C antiviral long-term treatment against cirrhosis trial.

ABSTRACT:

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Combination treatment with pegylated-interferon-alpha (PEG IFN-alpha) and ribavirin, the current recommended therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, results in a sustained virological response (SVR) in only about half of patients. Because genes involved in the interferon-alpha pathway may affect antiviral responses, we analyzed the relationship between variants in these genes and SVR among participants in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) trial. Patients had advanced chronic hepatitis C that had previously failed to respond to interferon-based treatment. Participants were treated with peginterferon-alpha2a and ribavirin during the trial. Subjects with undetectable HCV RNA at week 72 were considered to have had an SVR.

SUBMITTER: Welzel TM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2692559 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature