Neutrocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio predicts the presence of a replicative hepatitis C virus strand after therapy with direct-acting antivirals.

ABSTRACT: Residual HCV-RNA can persist in liver tissue and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) long after antiviral therapy of chronic hepatitis C in patients repeatedly negative for viral RNA in serum. This occult infection associates with impaired immune response and the risk of lymphoproliferative disorders or progressive liver disease. There are currently no monitoring strategies for patients after treatment. We investigated if serum inflammation markers and interferon lambda (IFNL) genotype can be predictors of the presence of HCV-RNA and the replicative HCV-RNA (-) strand in patients who reached sustained virological response after interferon-free therapy. Forty-two consecutive patients who remained HCV-RNA negative in serum 24 weeks after the end of treatment (EOT) and during the follo

SUBMITTER: Wroblewska A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6647462 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature