BACKGROUND: Substitution of amino acids (aa) 70 and 91 in the core region of HCV genotype 1b is a useful pretreatment predictor of poor response to interferon + ribavirin combination therapy, but the impacts of aa substitutions in the core region of HCV genotype 2a are still not clear. METHODS: 154 consecutive Japanese adults with a high viral load (> or =100 kIU/ml) of genotype 2a who could complete combination therapy for 24 weeks were evaluated. To examine the differences in virological characteristics between non-sustained virological response (non-SVR) and rapid responder (SVR patients who could achieve a HCV-RNA-negative status within 8 weeks), 86 patients could be analyzed by pretreatment substitution patterns of the core region. RESULTS: SVR was achieved in 127 of 154 patients (83%), and rapid response in 113 of 127 (90%). In all 154 patients, multivariate analysis identified younger age, lower level of viremia, and higher level of albumin as significant determinants of SVR. As significant determinants of rapid response in 86 patients, multivariate analysis identified substitution of aa 4 (non-asparagine) in addition to the significant determinants of SVR. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the aa substitution pattern of the core region in patients with a high titer of genotype 2a may partly affect the virological response to combination therapy. Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.
BACKGROUND: Substitution of amino acids (aa) 70 and 91 in the core region of HCV genotype 1b is a useful pretreatment predictor of poor response to interferon + ribavirin combination therapy, but the impacts of aa substitutions in the core region of HCV genotype 2a are still not clear. METHODS: 154 consecutive Japanese adults with a high viral load (> or =100 kIU/ml) of genotype 2a who could complete combination therapy for 24 weeks were evaluated. To examine the differences in virological characteristics between non-sustained virological response (non-SVR) and rapid responder (SVR patients who could achieve a HCV-RNA-negative status within 8 weeks), 86 patients could be analyzed by pretreatment substitution patterns of the core region. RESULTS: SVR was achieved in 127 of 154 patients (83%), and rapid response in 113 of 127 (90%). In all 154 patients, multivariate analysis identified younger age, lower level of viremia, and higher level of albumin as significant determinants of SVR. As significant determinants of rapid response in 86 patients, multivariate analysis identified substitution of aa 4 (non-asparagine) in addition to the significant determinants of SVR. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the aa substitution pattern of the core region in patients with a high titer of genotype 2a may partly affect the virological response to combination therapy. Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.
Authors: Judith M Gottwein; Tanja B Jensen; Christian K Mathiesen; Philip Meuleman; Stephanie B N Serre; Jacob B Lademann; Lubna Ghanem; Troels K H Scheel; Geert Leroux-Roels; Jens Bukh Journal: J Virol Date: 2011-06-22 Impact factor: 5.103
Authors: Rossana C Jaspe; Yoneira F Sulbarán; Maria Z Sulbarán; Carmen L Loureiro; Hector R Rangel; Flor H Pujol Journal: Virol J Date: 2012-09-21 Impact factor: 4.099