BACKGROUND/AIMS: The prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in the USA is higher among African-Americans than among Caucasians. Despite this, little information is available on the course of hepatitis C virus infection in Blacks and in other minority groups. The aim of this retrospective case-control study was to determine the response rate to high dose interferon-alpha treatment in two racial groups with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. METHODOLOGY: Thirty-one African-Americans and 62 Caucasians with chronic hepatitis C were considered in the study. The subjects were matched for gender, age, presence/absence of cirrhosis, histologic score, and viral genotype. All were treated with interferon-alpha (5 mU/day for 12 months). Three end-points (on-therapy, after 6 months of interferon-alpha, end-of-therapy, at the end of the 12 months of treatment, and off-therapy, 6 months after treatment) were chosen to describe the response to interferon-alpha treatment. RESULTS: African-Americans had a significantly reduced response to interferon-alpha as compared to Caucasians at all end-points. At the on-therapy end-point, 26% of African-Americans were HCV-RNA negative and had normal transaminases level as compared to 60% of the Caucasians (P < 0.01); at the end-of-therapy end-point the rates were, respectively, 10% and 53% (P < 0.0001). No differences were detected in terms of pretreatment serum ALT, HCV-RNA, iron and ferritin levels or hepatic iron contents between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: African-Americans have a reduced response to high-dose interferon-alpha treatment as compared to Caucasians. Both environmental and genetic factors may be implicated in this impaired ability to clear hepatitis C virus infection.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: The prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in the USA is higher among African-Americans than among Caucasians. Despite this, little information is available on the course of hepatitis C virus infection in Blacks and in other minority groups. The aim of this retrospective case-control study was to determine the response rate to high dose interferon-alpha treatment in two racial groups with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. METHODOLOGY: Thirty-one African-Americans and 62 Caucasians with chronic hepatitis C were considered in the study. The subjects were matched for gender, age, presence/absence of cirrhosis, histologic score, and viral genotype. All were treated with interferon-alpha (5 mU/day for 12 months). Three end-points (on-therapy, after 6 months of interferon-alpha, end-of-therapy, at the end of the 12 months of treatment, and off-therapy, 6 months after treatment) were chosen to describe the response to interferon-alpha treatment. RESULTS: African-Americans had a significantly reduced response to interferon-alpha as compared to Caucasians at all end-points. At the on-therapy end-point, 26% of African-Americans were HCV-RNA negative and had normal transaminases level as compared to 60% of the Caucasians (P < 0.01); at the end-of-therapy end-point the rates were, respectively, 10% and 53% (P < 0.0001). No differences were detected in terms of pretreatment serum ALT, HCV-RNA, iron and ferritin levels or hepatic iron contents between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: African-Americans have a reduced response to high-dose interferon-alpha treatment as compared to Caucasians. Both environmental and genetic factors may be implicated in this impaired ability to clear hepatitis C virus infection.
Authors: Itay Shalev; Nazia Selzner; Ahmed Helmy; Katharina Foerster; Oyedele A Adeyi; David R Grant; Gary Levy Journal: Rambam Maimonides Med J Date: 2010-07-02
Authors: David G Dillon; Deepti Gurdasani; Johanna Riha; Kenneth Ekoru; Gershim Asiki; Billy N Mayanja; Naomi S Levitt; Nigel J Crowther; Moffat Nyirenda; Marina Njelekela; Kaushik Ramaiya; Ousman Nyan; Olanisun O Adewole; Kathryn Anastos; Livio Azzoni; W Henry Boom; Caterina Compostella; Joel A Dave; Halima Dawood; Christian Erikstrup; Carla M Fourie; Henrik Friis; Annamarie Kruger; John A Idoko; Chris T Longenecker; Suzanne Mbondi; Japheth E Mukaya; Eugene Mutimura; Chiratidzo E Ndhlovu; George Praygod; Eric W Pefura Yone; Mar Pujades-Rodriguez; Nyagosya Range; Mahmoud U Sani; Aletta E Schutte; Karen Sliwa; Phyllis C Tien; Este H Vorster; Corinna Walsh; Rutendo Zinyama; Fredirick Mashili; Eugene Sobngwi; Clement Adebamowo; Anatoli Kamali; Janet Seeley; Elizabeth H Young; Liam Smeeth; Ayesha A Motala; Pontiano Kaleebu; Manjinder S Sandhu Journal: Int J Epidemiol Date: 2013-12 Impact factor: 7.196